Until the Fall
by tchrof6th
Summary: After the tragic accident involving Castle, his loving fiance mourns his absence and prepares for life without him until...This is set post 6X23 until 7X1...what I think should happen...
1. Chapter 1

Searching the scene Kate's eyes burned…was it the shock of the scene before her or the sorrow of her heart…was it the smoke from the rising flames or the gripping fear that was tearing her heart in two…suddenly the car burst in spontaneous combustion again and shook Kate on her very foundation.

She dropped to the ground feeling the fullness of her wedding dress under her knees…and then it all went black…

Meanwhile…Esposito and Ryan had arrived at the scene in another car with Lanie Parrish, Martha , and Alexis in the back seat…Alexis jumped out to try to reach the car but Espo grabbed her writhing body and softly, sweetly caressed her hair…

"shshshshshsh, hush" he quietly spoke and calmed her as she stopped bucking his every grasp of her small frame…her eyes damp with tears and her mouth trying to utter the words…"Daddy"…

Martha just sat in the back of the vehicle…stunned unmoving…Lanie grasped her hand and that was all she could do as the woman who was wiser than her muttered…"my baby"… as Lanie tried to do her best not to get out of that car and run to see if there was a body, she heard another car pull up behind them fast…firemen were running around shouting and it looked like they didn't even want to get close to the car that seemed ready to go up in flames again at anytime…she looked back behind her again and saw Jim Beckett rush out of the driver's seat… he was yelling something that she couldn't understand and then again suddenly she remembered…"Katie? Katie?", he bellowed.

Lanie patted Martha on the shoulder and told her to stay in the car…so hoping that she would take her advice. She opened the door which seemed as heavy as led and rounded it to look for Kate… she joined Jim Beckett just as he was holding his daughter… cradling her in his arms…softly sobbing…

Espo and Ryan were talking to the state police on the scene when the firemen started to spray their hoses…apparently according the tire tracks there were two cars and only one set of tire tracks that led off into the ravine…the other tracks seemed to disappear down the road…the fire chief came over to them andquickly briefed them on the next step with the inferno that was a car… according to his knowledge this car had just been filled up and that was why the heat was so intense and the fire pulsating with new emissions of combustion…the boys decided the next step was to see where Castle had last filled up…maybe, just maybe, there was something they could find…they looked back and saw Lanie standing in the distance…looking like she had finally lost the battle to fight back the tears…Espo walked over to her and she let his arms wrap around her like a wave of sorrow but protection all at the same time…Espo also noticed something else…everyone but Lanie, and the last car at the scene, were gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1:**

Searching the scene Kate's eyes burned…was it the shock of the scene before her or the sorrow of her heart…was it the smoke from the rising flames or the gripping fear that was tearing her heart in two…suddenly the car burst in spontaneous combustion again and shook Kate on her very foundation.

She dropped to the ground feeling the fullness of her wedding dress under her knees…and then it all went black…

Meanwhile…Esposito and Ryan had arrived at the scene in another car with Lanie Parrish, Martha , and Alexis in the back seat…Alexis jumped out to try to reach the car but Espo grabbed her writhing body and softly, sweetly caressed her hair…

"shshshshshsh, hush" he quietly spoke and calmed her as she stopped bucking his every grasp of her small frame…her eyes damp with tears and her mouth trying to utter the words…"Daddy"…

Martha just sat in the back of the vehicle…stunned unmoving…Lanie grasped her hand and that was all she could do as the woman who was wiser than her muttered…"my baby"… as Lanie tried to do her best not to get out of that car and run to see if there was a body, she heard another car pull up behind them fast…firemen were running around shouting and it looked like they didn't even want to get close to the car that seemed ready to go up in flames again at anytime…she looked back behind her again and saw Jim Beckett rush out of the driver's seat… he was yelling something that she couldn't understand and then again suddenly she remembered…"Katie? Katie?", he bellowed.

Lanie patted Martha on the shoulder and told her to stay in the car…so hoping that she would take her advice. She opened the door which seemed as heavy as led and rounded it to look for Kate… she joined Jim Beckett just as he was holding his daughter… cradling her in his arms…softly sobbing…

Espo and Ryan were talking to the state police on the scene when the firemen started to spray their hoses…apparently according to the tire tracks there were two cars and only one set of tire tracks that led off into the ravine…the other tracks seemed to disappear down the road…the fire chief came over to them and quickly briefed them on the next step with the inferno that was a car… according to his knowledge this car had just been filled up and that was why the heat was so intense and the fire pulsating with new emissions of combustion…the boys decided the next step was to see where Castle had last filled up…maybe, just maybe, there was something they could find…they looked back and saw Lanie standing in the distance…looking like she had finally lost the battle to fight back the tears…Espo walked over to her and she let his arms wrap around her like a wave of sorrow... but protection, all at the same time…Espo also noticed something else…everyone but Lanie, and the last car at the scene, were gone.

**Chapter 2:**

Kate opened her eyes and looked around…then felt the sting of her swollen eyes pulsating and her head keeping beat with it…it was then she remembered …and the tears started to fall again…she felt down as she squeezed her eyes shut with the next round of stinging…How? How? I can't…I just can't…Castle…she remembered back to the time in Willow Creek…those were her last times with him…she could remember his parting words…"I Love You, Kate" …the sweetness of his kiss and her heart ached again fully and she wanted to scream…"Why?!" It must have been a real scream because just then Lanie called from behind the door…"Kate?"

Alexis was raw and she was wrapped up in her favorite quilt on the living room sofa of the their Hampton's home…this was always her favorite place to go with her Dad in the summer…ever since she could remember he would bring her here …sometimes for a whole summer…as she got older camps and science trips got in the way and it seemed she put him off more and more about coming here…she sniffed in the smell of the blanket and drank in the sea smells…it's touch soft …she remembered when he bought her this quilt to put on her bed here…it was a combination of pinks, greens, and gray…and there in the corner was her full name Alexis Castle embroidered in the courner…the daughter of Richard Castle the famous author…she was so proud of her Dad and true the notoriety of being his daughter was very nice…but she was the one who had the real person in her home, not the successful writer, the playboy, the renegade ladies man …but the real deal…the game playing, fever curing, Daddy that made every day special…they were two, then three with her grandmother…until Kate…poor Kate…their dreams…our dreams…she started to cry again…not just for herself but for everyone's loss… then she was snapped out of it by the sound of a tea-cup being offered by the man who would have been her step-grandfather…

Martha could not believe it…as she stared out the window overlooking the front lawn where the wedding should have been…sadness watching the chairs and the arbor with those beautiful flowers being put away into the van parked to the side…a great ache in her heart was consuming her… How? How could one minute she be so happy, to gain a daughter, to gain someone in her son's life that was so unlike the previous daughter-in-laws she had Kate was the ultimate soul mate for her son, her smile widened so big every time he walked into the room, her countenance simply glowed and she stuck with him, even when he was at his goofy worst,which was often. She laughed inside her heart and it burned her at the same time, he was always such a goofy kid, definitely bright for his years but his silliness was often misrepresented to the teachers he had, and there were numerous parent conferences. Then her heart began to swell again…"Oh, God…or whoever you are that commands our lives, I would go to a thousand more parent conferences, principal's meetings, and yes even jail bail outs!…to be with him again…ohhhh please let me have him back again", and then her mind turned to Alexis, "enough of this Martha…you have a granddaughter who needs you!" she muttered, there is no time for this! She needed to find her…

"Kate?" …Lanie echoed…"Can I get you anything, can I come in?" Kate wanted to respond but she just slowly sunk down into their bed again, they had decided to continue their quest to make the places they would own eventually to be their space, so Castle allowed Kate to purchase a more woman friendly atmosphere, he bought her the bed spread in colors that kept is masculine enough boarder but with her touch of feminine, it was a modern comforter with edging that was simple and tasteful, they decided to keep the anchor in the fireplace but added more shells and shell pictures to the walls that they had created with their numerous walks on the beach, her gaze turned to the glass jar on the table next to the bed, it's sea foam colored ribbon encircled the rim and was tied into a bow…these were his shells…the ones he refused to give up even when she tried to cajole him to giving them up stating that they weren't particularly pretty or special, he was so fake offended that she laughed all the way back the house, so she made it up to him, she gave them a pretty bow and a place of honor and as she thought of it again the tears welled in her eyes …

Back at the crime scene…Espo and Ryan began to sort through the chard car's remains…silent …going through the motions of investigation…they had to do this for Kate…Detective Beckett…their boss and friend. Ryan's mind raced to when he first met Kate, she was the new boss, and a very good one at that. She let them be good detectives in their own right and was always quick to show them her strength even when their cases were the most gruesome …her ability not to upchuck when the scene was the most vomit producing was amazing…her mind focused and steadfast to find the perp and put him behind bars…Espo broke his steady thoughts…

"Yo, Ryan, come'er" Espo's urgency made Ryan bolt to the front of the car, in the driver's side was the body, chard beyond belief, and too fragile to move yet. The door was opened by the firemen who wanted to see how badly he was burned and move him if they could but the body was in a state of cooling and the remains were as thin as a twig, Ryan's heart jumped again,very much like it did every time he had to gaze even close to it…

"Notice anything wrong here?", Espo inquired…

Just beside the foot of the victim,his friend…Castle, the goofball who became more to him than he ever thought would, was a small charred but recognizable canister, and it was then that they realized that the car definitely hadn't blown on impact…this was the murder weapon…

**Chapter 3:**

The rain fell steadily on the window in the living room area as the family gathered to discuss the arrangements for the funeral. Castle's family had spent the last two days crying, and for Kate at least an even haze of "I don't care anymore" had set in. Martha spoke first to the group, "Where should we have the memorial service?"

"He always liked the rooftop that we were going to use for the venue", she looked over at Kate and her face and reaction were numb, so she continued.

"We could set it up and do a late afternoon service, Richard always loved the sunset over the city", she paused. A sniffle came from the floral loveseat as Alexis acknowledged the last comment that hung in the air like the stale smell of cigarette smoke. She dabbed her eyes with the Kleenex that looked like it was five sniffs ready to be thrown away.

Kate finally spoke. "Why are we doing this? He is not here, why are we doing this?" Martha responded trying to be cognizant of the fact that Kate's nerves and her eyes were raw. "Kate, darling we need to plan something to…"

"Don't, don't say it!" she shouted, she stood up and walked over the window. She remembered when Espo came into the bedroom as the curtains were drawn darkening the room in the heat of the day.

"Beckett?" He softly spoke, "Kate?"

"Please just leave me alone", she whispered back. Her hair was matted with a whole night of crying and the pain that continued to wash like the ocean waves that hit the beach. She was still in her wedding dress, hot and sweaty and not caring that she needed to change out of it or risk ruining the beautiful silk in the bodice. Espo slowly came over to the bed and sat down next to her. He began to speak.

"Kate, you need to get up and change. You need to face this."

"I will NEVER face this", she screamed at him. He was ready for it, he had seen her at her best…shattered by the fear that the scar of that snipers bullet had left.

"Kate, he is gone, there is nothing any of us can do, he is gone", he spoke the words she had never wanted to hear and the tears renewed in her eyes again, her moaning increased and the room started to close back in on her.

"Oh Espo, what, what am I going to do?", she stammered.

"Let us help you, let us bring this bastard to jail, let us put the wheels in motion, he was my friend Kate, and I want the justice that is going to be served to this punk!"

She sat there and looked at him through her swollen tear soaked eyes trying to find the words to say but there were none. He was right, they needed to find justice but she couldn't move. She was frozen, her energy was gone, this once brave and kick-butt detective who ran in high heels as an everyday occurrence had come to the end of the line. She felt small and very, very tired. Just then something happened that shocked them both. Kate picked up the jar of shells and dashed them to the floor and instantly she felt sorrow but anger at the same time.

"You don't understand! I can't! I caused this, my job, my lifestyle, my stupid ex-husband crap! I am the reason I am not getting married to the man I love! Someone did this and it was probably someone I caused to come into his life! It is all on me! Because of me, Martha doesn't have a son and Alexis doesn't have a father!"

"How can you say that?",Espo replied, "You gave him joy, you were all he had Kate to hold onto and he loved every minute of it". "Don't you remember how he was, stupid, annoying? And you brought him into being a better person; his being with you was HIS choice! You were everything to him and he would not have stayed away to save his life!"

And with that her anger changed, she got up off the bed and frantically tried to pick up the shells off the floor and in her haste she cut her hand on a shard of glass. "Oh, Espo, how am I going to survive without him?"

"I don't know, Kate, I just know you will."

Her mind came back to the present. Her thoughts raced again like a horse that was let out of a gate. She couldn't be here to do this and to plan that, so she pulled the sweater over her wrapping it around her torso and cradled her arms together, and she bolted, she opened the door and raced out into the pouring rain…

**Chapter 4-**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER #1**

Searching the scene Kate's eyes burned…was it the shock of the scene before her or the sorrow of her heart…was it the smoke from the rising flames or the gripping fear that was tearing her heart in two…suddenly the car burst in spontaneous combustion again and shook Kate on her very foundation.

She dropped to the ground feeling the fullness of her wedding dress under her knees…and then it all went black…

Meanwhile…Esposito and Ryan had arrived at the scene in another car with Lanie Parrish, Martha , and Alexis in the back seat…Alexis jumped out to try to reach the car but Espo grabbed her writhing body and softly, sweetly caressed her hair…

"shshshshshsh, hush" he quietly spoke and calmed her as she stopped bucking his every grasp of her small frame…her eyes damp with tears and her mouth trying to utter the words…"Daddy"…

Martha just sat in the back of the vehicle…stunned unmoving…Lanie grasped her hand and that was all she could do as the woman who was wiser than her muttered…"my baby"… as Lanie tried to do her best not to get out of that car and run to see if there was a body, she heard another car pull up behind them fast…firemen were running around shouting and it looked like they didn't even want to get close to the car that seemed ready to go up in flames again at anytime…she looked back behind her again and saw Jim Beckett rush out of the driver's seat… he was yelling something that she couldn't understand and then again suddenly she remembered…"Katie? Katie?", he bellowed.

Lanie patted Martha on the shoulder and told her to stay in the car…so hoping that she would take her advice. She opened the door which seemed as heavy as led and rounded it to look for Kate… she joined Jim Beckett just as he was holding his daughter… cradling her in his arms…softly sobbing…

Espo and Ryan were talking to the state police on the scene when the firemen started to spray their hoses…apparently according the tire tracks there were two cars and only one set of tire tracks that led off into the ravine…the other tracks seemed to disappear down the road…the fire chief came over to them andquickly briefed them on the next step with the inferno that was a car… according to his knowledge this car had just been filled up and that was why the heat was so intense and the fire pulsating with new emissions of combustion…the boys decided the next step was to see where Castle had last filled up…maybe, just maybe, there was something they could find…they looked back and saw Lanie standing in the distance…looking like she had finally lost the battle to fight back the tears…Espo walked over to her and she let his arms wrap around her like a wave of sorrow but protection all at the same time…Espo also noticed something else…everyone but Lanie, and the last car at the scene, were gone.

**CHAPTER #2**

Kate opened her eyes and looked around…then felt the sting of her swollen eyes pulsating and her head keeping beat with it…it was then she remembered …and the tears started to fall again…she felt down as she squeezed her eyes shut with the next round of stinging…How? How? I can't…I just can't…Castle…she remembered back to the time in Willowbrook…those were her last times with him…she could remember his parting words…"I Love You, Kate" …the sweetness of his kiss and her heart ached again fully and she wanted to scream…"Why?!" It must have been a real scream because just then Lanie called from behind the door…"Kate?"

Alexis was raw and she was wrapped up in her favorite quilt on the living room sofa of the their Hampton's home…this was always her favorite place to go with her Dad in the summer…ever since she could remember he would bring her here …sometimes for a whole summer…as she got older camps and science trips got in the way and it seemed she put him off more and more about coming here…she sniffed in the smell of the blanket and drank in the sea smells…it's touch soft …she remembered when he bought her this quilt to put on her bed here…it was a combination of pinks, greens, and gray…and there in the corner was her full name Alexis Castle embroidered in the courner…the daughter of Richard Castle the famous author…she was so proud of her Dad and true the notoriety of being his daughter was very nice…but she was the one who had the real person in her home, not the successful writer, the playboy, the renegade ladies man …but the real deal…the game playing, fever curing, Daddy that made every day special…they were two, then three with her grandmother…until Kate…poor Kate…their dreams…our dreams…she started to cry again…not just for herself but for everyone's loss… then she was snapped out of it by the sound of a tea cup being offered by the man who would have been her step-grandfather…

Martha could not believe it…as she stared out the window overlooking the front lawn where the wedding should have been…sadness watching the chairs and the arbor with those beautiful flowers being put away into the van parked to the side…a great ache in her heart was consuming her… How? How could one minute she be so happy, to gain a daughter, to gain someone in her son's life that was so unlike the previous daughter-in-laws she had had?… Kate was the ultimate soul mate for her son…her smile widened so big every time he walked into the room…her countenance simply glowed and she stuck with him…even when he was at his goofy worst…which was often…she laughed inside her heart and it burned her at the same time…he was always such a goofy kid…definitely bright for his years but his silliness was often misrepresented to the teachers he had…and there were numerous parent conferences…and then her heart began to swell again…"Oh, God…or whoever you are that commands our lives…I would go to a thousand more parent conferences, principal's meetings, and yes even jail bail outs!…to be with him again…ohhhh please let me have him back again"…and then her mind turned to Alexis…enough of this Martha…you have a granddaughter who needs you…there is no time for this! She needed to find her…

"Kate?" …Lanie echoed…"Can I get you anything, can I come in?" Kate wanted to respond but she just slowly sunk down into their bed again…they had decided to continue their quest to make the places they would own eventually to be their space…so Castle allowed Kate to purchase a more woman friendly atmosphere…he bought her the bed spread in colors that kept is masculine enough boarder but with her touch of feminine…it was a modern comforter with edging that was simple and tasteful…they decided to keep the anchor in the fireplace but added more shells and shell pictures to the walls that they had created with their numerous walks on the beach…her gaze turned to the glass jar on the table next to the bed…it's sea foam colored ribbon encircled the rim and was tied into a bow…these were his shells…the ones he refused to give up even when she tried to cajole him to giving them up stating that they weren't particularly pretty or special…he was so fake offended that she laughed all the way back the house…so she made it up to him…she gave them a pretty bow and a place of honor…as she thought of it again the tears welled in her eyes …

Back at the crime scene…Espo and Ryan began to sort through the chard car's remains…silent …going through the motions of investigation…they had to do this for Kate…Detective Beckett…their boss and friend…Ryan's mind raced to when he first met Kate…she was the new boss and a very good one at that…she let them be good detectives in their own right and was always quick to show them her strength even when their cases were the most gruesome …her ability not to upchuck when the scene was the most vomit producing was amazing…her mind focused and steadfast to find the perp and put him behind bars…Espo broke his steady thoughts…

"Yo, Ryan, come'er" …Espo's urgency made Ryan bolt to the front of the car…in the driver's side was the body…chard beyond belief…and too fragile to move yet…the door was opened by the firemen who wanted to see how badly he was burned and move him if they could but the body was in a state of cooling and the remains were as thin as a twig…Ryan's heart jumped again…very much like it did every time he had to gaze even close to it…

"Notice anything wrong here?" …Espo inquired…

Just beside the foot of the victim…his friend…Castle…the goofball who became more to him than he ever thought would…was a small charred but recognizable canister…and it was then that they realized that the car definitely hadn't blown on impact…this was the murder weapon…

**CHAPTER #3**

The rain fell steadily on the window in the living room area as the family gathered to discuss the arrangements for the funeral. Castle's family had spent the last two days crying, and for Kate at least an even haze of "I don't care anymore" had set in. Martha spoke first to the group, "Where should we have the memorial service?"

"He always liked the rooftop that we were going to use for the venue", she looked over at Kate and her face and reaction were numb, so she continued.

"We could set it up and do a late afternoon service, Richard always loved the sunset over the city", she paused. A sniffle came from the floral loveseat as Alexis acknowledged the last comment that hung in the air like the stale smell of cigarette smoke. She dabbed her eyes with the Kleenex that looked like it was five sniffs ready to be thrown away.

Kate finally spoke. "Why are we doing this? He is not here, why are we doing this?" Martha responded trying to be cognizant of the fact that Kate's nerves and her eyes were raw. "Kate, darling we need to plan something to…"

"Don't, don't say it!" she shouted, she stood up and walked over the window. She remembered when Espo came into the bedroom as the curtains were drawn darkening the room in the heat of the day.

"Beckett?" He softly spoke, "Kate?"

"Please just leave me alone", she whispered back. Her hair was matted with a whole night of crying and the pain that continued to wash like the ocean waves that hit the beach. She was still in her wedding dress, hot and sweaty and not caring that she needed to change out of it or risk ruining the beautiful silk in the bodice. Espo slowly came over to the bed and sat down next to her. He began to speak.

"Kate, you need to get up and change. You need to face this."

"I will NEVER face this", she screamed at him. He was ready for it, he had seen her at her best…shattered by the fear that the scar of that snipers bullet had left.

"Kate, he is gone, there is nothing any of us can do, he is gone", he spoke the words she had never wanted to hear and the tears renewed in her eyes again, her moaning increased and the room started to close back in on her.

"Oh Espo, what, what am I going to do?", she stammered.

"Let us help you, let us bring this bastard to jail, let us put the wheels in motion, he was my friend Kate, and I want the justice that is going to be served to this punk!"

She sat there and looked at him through her swollen tear soaked eyes trying to find the words to say but there were none. He was right, they needed to find justice but she couldn't move. She was frozen, her energy was gone, this once brave and kick-butt detective who ran in high heels as an everyday occurrence had come to the end of the line. She felt small and very, very tired. Just then something happened that shocked them both. Kate picked up the jar of shells and dashed them to the floor and instantly she felt sorrow but anger at the same time.

"You don't understand! I can't! I caused this, my job, my lifestyle, my stupid ex-husband crap! I am the reason I am not getting married to the man I love! Someone did this and it was probably someone I caused to come into his life! It is all on me! Because of me, Martha doesn't have a son and Alexis doesn't have a father!"

"How can you say that?",Espo replied, "You gave him joy, you were all he had Kate to hold onto and he loved every minute of it". "Don't you remember how he was, stupid, annoying? And you brought him into being a better person; his being with you was HIS choice! You were everything to him and he would not have stayed away to save his life!"

And with that her anger changed, she got up off the bed and frantically tried to pick up the shells off the floor and in her haste she cut her hand on a shard of glass. "Oh, Espo, how am I going to survive without him?"

"I don't know, Kate, I just know you will."

Her mind came back to the present. Her thoughts raced again like a horse that was let out of a gate. She couldn't be here to do this and to plan that, so she pulled the sweater over her wrapping it around her torso and cradled her arms together, and she bolted, she opened the door and raced out into the pouring rain…

**Chapter 4-**

Kate's thoughts swirled like the wind around her hair as it whipped side to side with every whim and the roar of the ocean waves response to the weather pattern that had stalled over the Hampton's all day was coming to a close. Soon the sun would be making it's appearance again and Kate knew that it would mean that she would have to face it, face the life she would have to live without him. She wandered down to where the rocks rose up to form a small cliff and she remembered a joking Castle as he held the fake Simba and sang "The Circle of Life" song from Lion King. Posed and on that rock he was showing her how he felt about them, they had come full circle. Getting married scared Kate at first, she was worried that it would mean that their relationship would be less adventurous, that they would become boring and stale. But through all of Castle's joking and creativity, he had a way of poking fun at their relationship and it's status which at times was mostly inspirational.

She stepped out on the famous Lion King rock and proceded to look over the vast expanse of the ocean before her, it was then that she released her anger.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4-**

As Kate sped toward the ocean she passed the lookout point where she and Castle used to sit and share coffee or a glass of wine while discussing the recent article about criminal activities in the city. She could always talk to him here, more than in the city because of the other constraints life had on them. Walking toward their favorite beach spot with the overhanging rock near the tree line to the next house more than 300 yards away she felt the sudden urge to climb rock side like that day they did just a few months before. She had taken a three day and he had cancelled a book signing on a whim, Gina was livid but they hadn't had any time together for three months due to work and book responsibilities. Castle called it his mental holiday and she had lovingly joked about wasn't he always on a mental holiday.

"Joke if you must but Alexis and I used to come up here often when the rigors of school and work were getting us down, it was very needed"

"I thought all you did was bring women up here?"

"No", he said, "far less of that than you think"

They came to the top of the cliff and sat together huddled in each other's arms for a few minutes when he reached down and lifted her chin up and pulled her in for a long drawn out kiss. He smelled of her favorite Brut cologne, he wore it every day since his last birthday, and her hair smelled of pomegranate- cherry shampoo which she used every day for the last five years he had known her. They enjoyed the slight breeze off the water and the sea air and he turned to her…

"You know something?" he said.

"What's that?"

"You are my world, the first woman that I have ever known that sees me for me"

With that he picked up her chin again and sealed it with another long kiss while thoughts of making love right there and then on the cliff encircled her brain. If it hadn't been for the growling in her stomach she might have said something to that effect but he was thinking the same thing so they walked off to make a scrumptious repast that ended with chocolate covered strawberries, and a rescheduled session in bed.

Tears streamed down her face again, she clasped her legs and sat down in their spot, her mind filled with sorrow all over again. How could she do this? Live in this world without him when everything was falling apart…she began rocking back and forth but as the wind picked up she decided to stand and she inched closer and closer to the edge. The front of her foot felt no earth below and her body felt weightless and free. She could easily of let the wind pick her up and carry all of her sadness away, she could float to the very bottom and let the rocks snuff out the pain from her while it took her breath…she inched closer, now her foot was part way off the edge. Just then she felt a hand on her arm and she spun around ready to hit the person who so quickly took away her hope to be with her love again…

"Katie!" Jim Beckett hollered, "What do you think you are doing?"

She instantly fell into his arms and wept until she couldn't weep any more. The sorrow in her father's eyes betrayed her and made her sorry for the thoughts she had in her mind. It wasn't fair…her mother was gone and she had no right to take herself away from him as well, even if it was for her own sanity.

"Katie, let's go up to the house and I'll draw you a long bath" he said, "You are soaked and dirty from the sand"

"How will I ever be able to survive Dad? How? "

"A young woman told me once that my life was worth more than drowning my sorrows in something that would only hurt me and to pick up the pieces and move on, she also said she would help me, let me help you this time…please" Jim Beckett said.

"Help me Daddy, please please, help me"

When they walked through the side door of the house they heard voices from the living room and entered to see what was going on. Martha was not there anymore but Alexis, Ryan, Lanie, and Espo were sitting at the coffee table pouring over pictures. They were lost in conversation and didn't hear them come in until Jim cleared his throat, then like children who were caught with cookies they hadn't asked for, they shuffled the crime scene pictures together. Jim ushered his daughter upstairs and the group pulled in, together, a collective sigh of relief. After several minutes, Jim comes down wearily from the upstairs and approaches the group in the living room.

"Okay, she is soaking in a nice warm bath and has her night clothes on the bed, so what is it that you are working on?" he interjects.

"We managed to pull footage from the gas station camera and there was a Black SUV Caddy parked right on the outer fringes of the lot, then we were able to pull in on the driver side window and get a face", Ryan stated.

"The body in the car was so badly burned we were unable to pull dental records or check for similarities from Castle's records, but" Lanie looks at Alexis, "Are you sure you are okay with this Hun?"

"Yes, I want this bastard caught!" Alexis' eyes were a stormy greenish blue and her face was as serious as a preacher preaching penance.

"There was something missing, something that the body didn't have that should have survived the crash…it should have had the nuts and plates"

"Nuts and Plates?" Jim Beckett questioned.

"Castle broke his leg last winter …skiing…remember?"

The room suddenly became silent and hopeful at the same time.

"So does this mean?" Jim said.

"Yes" said Espo, "the body was a plant".


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5-**

Kate woke up to a quiet house. She got up and noticed the shells just piled on the side of the bed end table. Her first thoughts were getting another pretty jar to put them in and putting the sea foam ribbon back into its rightful place. She thought of Castle's grin again but instead of letting go to another round of crying, the pain sliced through her heart. I must not give in to the crying and I must fight on, Rick would want me to, she thought. What was it her dad had said yesterday, hang in to that one thought or memory and it will sustain you until the next round of sadness. Oh, Kate had her memory alright, it was a great one, and it was his last words to her in the car on his way…

"And Kate", Rick said, "I love you."

She held on to that thought and smiled, he did love her with all of his heart, always…

While Kate was in the house alone, Ryan, Espo, and Lanie were at the local police station going over the tape from the gas station and talking to the fire department.

Lanie was talking to the fire chief about burn temperatures and whether the screws, nuts, and plates would survive at such a degree as was probably reached in that fire. The fire chief's only conclusion was that it could have and that was good enough for Lanie. There was a shred of hope, it was small but the shred was there.

As Espo stood talking to the police detective from the county and state, they tackled the SUV, the plates, and the driver. The plate number of LXO2038 was registered with the local rental company but the person renting it paid with cash and was not a local. The rental company had a driver's license number but when it was run through the state records it was found to be false. They did however have testimony from the rental car agent who said that the accent was definitely foreign and given no definitive description of the dialect the agent said it was definitely Middle Eastern. They ran the description of the man through the database as well and found no match due to the minimal assistance the US system could provide, Espo decided it was time to head back to the city for the night and use the federal databases that the 12th had at its disposal and perhaps something would pop up there. Lanie decided it was best to stay with Kate feeling that she really needed her to pack and bring all of her things back to the city, packing the wedding dress was something she knew would really be needed to save Kate the pain.

As Espo and Ryan went back into the city the long drive afforded them time to talk, plus Jenny had already left with the baby in their car so he really needed the ride home. Ryan was lost in thought starring out of the window when Espo spoke up…

"Do you think this the 3XK killer? I mean he has tormented them before?"

"This could be him but he is always so secretive, this would not be like him in an open show, I mean think of all the times he has made them suffer, played with their emotions, and ran them in circles, this is just not his style." Espo expounded. "I am trying to figure out who would Castle have, or even Beckett, that would serve as a reason for this attack on them, I mean really who? I do know we need to check the Bracken information to see is anything shakes out there, but with him at Ryker's, doubtful."

"What about his reach man, we have seen full well what he can do?" Ryan questioned.

"Nah, his people are way underground now and his connections are lost, they're picking up the pieces man, those bridges are crossed, but we will check." Espo said.

"Leave no stone unturned." Ryan agreed.

"You are such a panty waist, you know that, no stone Jeesh."

And with that there was silence once again.

Martha called for Alexis…she had busied herself all morning getting the house readied to be shut up yet again, only this time she felt the sorrow of knowing that this place may never be opened up again and truthfully might be sold eventually. It was reality and Martha was above all else a realist. She spoke things as they were, stayed strong for everyone but cried secretly at the death of her only child. Her Ricky. She really rarely called him that, it was usually "son" or "darling" but Ricky was reserved for lighthearted times.

"Alexis darling are you ready? We really must beat the afternoon rush hour."

Kate and Lanie had left to go into the city first thing in the morning and were headed straight to the penthouse to bring Kate home, then Lanie would pick up a cab and head back to her apartment. Kate had let the lease expire on her apartment a month earlier and her stuff had been put into storage to go through after the wedding. Rick had insisted that since they would be keeping the penthouse, and its desirable SoHo address, Kate would not need to keep her Tri-Beka place and it would save them on rent money. Besides all the paparazzi had to do was get wind that she had her own place still and people would speculate that she was one foot in the door, and that she was worried that Rick's playboy days might return. The media, oh boy, were they having a time right now with his death. Speculations abounded and they were all over the front pages of newspapers all over the world, she had to admit it, he may have only been an author, but his reach in the areas of philanthropy and plain kindness to people was felt by all. His death shook the New York City area like an earthquake and the people, whose stories were many like the stars, were so kind in their recollections of him. One woman told of how he single handedly helped her and her son rise up out of poverty to become part of a hotel family and he paid daily for her room until she was up on her feet. The boy, now a teen, was attending a top rated charter school in the city and was well on his way to becoming a advocacy lawyer for other people in need . But the one thing that stood out in Kate's mind, was the sad look on her fiancé's face when they talked about it because he always wished he could reach more…help more.

Kate turned the key on the penthouse and opened the door. She stood there for a long time soaking in the scene before her, hundreds of vases of flowers with cards were all over the place and the wedding gifts that she had so worried about in the car ride to the city had all been returned. Martha. What would she have done without her? Martha had seen that coming back here would not be anymore taxing than it needed to be and the kindness of all of Castle's friends was evident by the flowers, cards, and plants in the many rooms downstairs. Taking her time to look at each one, Kate then entered the bedroom and plopped on the bed, her tiredness consumed her again and she drifted off to a deep sleep.

Martha opened the door to the room that was always Alexis' and walked in, she could not find her in the immediate bedroom, so she called out…

"Alexis darling, where are you dear, we need to leave?"

"In here Gram." Alexis called.

Martha entered the bathroom and found Alexis sitting on the tub holding the rubber ducks in her hand. Scattered on the floor with the other 25-30 ducks that her father had given her and each one had a sharpie marker designed hairstyle…

"_Daddy, ducks." _

"_Yes, sweetie, those are ducks" Rick smiled. "Do you want one for your bath?"_

"_Peeeze, Daddy, Peeze" She squealed._

"_All right sweetie, you can get one", He smiled._

_Alexis toddled over to place the duck in his hand, and then toddled over to get another one. Castle knew where this was going to end up, he would have to curb his young baby daughter from being too greedy and wanting another one. He had to put his foot down now or he would suffer later his mother had said when Alexis was old enough to start want things in the store but her smile would always win him over and she would get another duck. _

"_Fwends, Daddy, Fwends" Alexis pleaded._

"_Oh, okay, yes, one friend only"_

_Over the years Rick Castle had allowed his daughter to pick out one duck at the local store and a friend to go with it, pretty soon Alexis could not even take a bath with all of the duck friends she had, and become bent on another new adventure…_

"_Daddy", a seven year old Alexis twittered, "Can I get these markers?"_

"_I am not sure sweetie, what do you want them for?" He questioned._

"_You'll see" She replied._

"_Do you have any of the money that Gram gave you for helping her with the garden, left?"_

"_Yes, about $2.30 and I can get them right?"_

"_Well, they are $3.95 so you don't have enough"_

"_I really NEED them Daddy, I have to do something"_

"_What?"_

"_Secret" she said._

_Castle's mind went into all of the secret projects his daughter might come up with, and decided he could never guess what was on his young daughter's mind._

"_Ok, well, I'll tell you what, I'll help you pay for it but you have to do a job"_

"_Daddy, I'm too young to do a job!"_

"_No, I mean a house -job, ok, take out the garbage."_

"_Ewwww, no Daddy, not garbage."_

"_Yes, that is what you have to do."_

_Alexis thought long and hard to see if it was worth it and finally shook her head, yes, so the purchase was made. The markers were the kind that were permanent in nature, so this fueled Castle's fear of what she could possibly want them for and that it wasn't going to be a repeat of the fiasco he suffered through when she was three. His fears were quickly erase when he saw her run upstairs and get all of the ducks and lay them out in her bedroom floor. He watched as she painstakingly drew on each and every one different hairstyles and mustache patterns. When he asked her the purpose of the project she said that in this world all people were different and she wanted all of her duck friends to be different too. A big smile covered his face as he sat with her and they together made her "friends" into special, different, tub time "Fwends" and named them accordingly._

Martha stood watching her granddaughter exploring each one.

"What should I do with these, Gram?" Alexis asked.

She sat down on the side of the tub with her and put her arms around the sad young woman patting her leg.

"Bring them; we shall see what we can do with them when we get home."

"Thanks, Gram, I love you."

"I love you too darling, and so does your Dad." She sweetly responded.


	6. Chapter 6

As Kate awoke to a haze filled room, she realized that it was the afternoon and that Martha would arrive soon with Alexis. She was anxious to get busy so she pried herself up off of the bed and entered the closet looking for her weekend bag; she knew she had left it at the back of the closet to the right of her clothes. She reached back and when she did she found something that did not even remotely resemble her suitcase, it was tall and square and was wrapped in paper. She managed to wiggle it out from behind her clothing and realized it was something she had never seen before, so she pulled it out further and laid it on the bed. She then pulled out the found suitcase and also put it on the bed at the end closest to the closet and dresser.

She carefully pulled the brown paper wrapping off of the frame and realized that this was a picture about 24 x 36 in length and height and the frame was exquisitely hand carved cherry with intricate carvings of small flowers and vines of various sizes. What she saw next stunned her to her core; it was a picture of them together. She remembered when the picture was taken and how excited he was to get his first "couples" shot.

"_Okay, so we will meet the photographer at the Bow Bridge at 2:00 on Thursday, you will be there right?" Castle looked at Kate over her morning coffee and the first thing she thought was how his hair was tousled and his bright blue eyes simply sparkled like a little kid at Christmas. _

"_Yes, I will try to be there but you know if there is a murder at that very second I might not make it" she grinned, knowing what this statement would do to his already pleading heart._

"_No murder Kate, please, this is the only time this photographer can come and remember we need this picture for the official engagement announcement in the paper and the wedding date cards. It has to be then and only then, no murder!" he pleaded again, oh how she liked this game._

"_Well, I suppose if I give it to Ryan and Espo they can make it work until I get there, but what if they are unavailable and I have to go?" She stated._

_She loved that look on his face, the on the edge look as he was about to lose everything he had worked for, even if it was a photograph session._

"_I will be there, I promise" She smiled her biggest smile and the fear of a lost opportunity to do something special together was washed away._

This picture was their last one together, their final page in the love story of what had started six years ago. Finally, she sighed and tears began slipping down. She really didn't want to do this right now, she had to pack and get ready to leave because Lanie was picking her up soon. Just then she heard the key in the lock and her heart leapt, it wasn't him, it was Martha who was ushering in her granddaughter before her, and with that Kate got up off the bed and dried her eyes, and made her way toward the living room with her bag in hand.

Martha entered the living room slowly and her breath drew in as she remembered that her son would not walk across and welcome her, or be in the kitchen making one of his disgusting Smorelettes. She was about to allow the sinking feeling to take hole when she saw Kate coming out of his bedroom, their bedroom with a bag in her hand.

"Katherine Beckett what do you think you are doing?" she spoke in exasperation.

Kate stood there like a child that had been caught doing the worst thing she could ever do. She didn't know what to stay and she knew that it wasn't her place to stay, she knew it would eventually have to be this way and instead of later she was going to make it clear that today was better for everyone.

"Kate, please don't go…please…" Alexis begged.

"I" was all that could come out of Kate's mouth and her eyes spoke volumes of how she was feeling right now. She did not want to hurt them but this was for the best, or at least she thought, until Martha spoke again.

"Kate, come sit down darling"

They walked over the sofa and when Kate sat down she could smell him, in the pillows and the waft of the air that rose from the weight of their bodies.

"Kate, please understand something, we are family, no matter what has happened" She sighed. "And even though the outcome of what we wanted to have happen was not what we had happen, you will always be a part of us, you are a Rogers/Castle, no matter what and you need to stay, we need you to stay."

"But Martha, I am not sure I can do it, I am not sure that, I…" She began to cry, which made the ladies cry with her.

Alexis spoke up. "Kate, I just want to say something. I know that I have had two mothers before, my real mom is wonderful and she will always be my mom. Gina, is my step-mom and she has her place in my life but Kate, you, you are more of a mother than they have ever been. These last few months have meant so much to me, getting to know you, and spending days in the same house with you has meant more to me than the years of in and out visits my own mom gave me. I need you to understand that even though Dad is in heaven, I know that he would approve, please stay…MOM" she finished.

Kate began to shake uncontrollably. She remembered the time when Alexis was missing and they were looking for her. The blood soaked van really brought it home to her that night, how much she loved her, even though she was not her own. She had spent time off and on but once Alexis and Martha had found out about her relationship with Castle, they really began to get closer. The relationship had really taken a whole new dimension when she had moved in totally to prepare for their wedding. When it seemed real that Castle was really marrying her and the days of work, school, and life began to develop stronger ties. Yes, this was her home but she could only hope that they would feel the same way. With that the decision was made…she would stay…

"Yo, Ryan, I found something!" Espo called from across the room. Ryan bolted over and stood by his side.

"That van agent positively ID'd a guy we found off of the international databases, his picture is old but the facial sketch is a dead ringer!

"That's great, but who is he?"Ryan replied.

"Easy, I'm getting to that, he is a low level operative who works for the Sudan, he has ties to..." Just then he stopped, and Ryan's look of confusion was answered by the slim figure walking into the bull pen. She had caught them both off guard as they would never expected her in there so soon after Castle's death, and because they were not being upfront with her the mood was one of embarrassment like a children who have just been caught doing something naughty.

"Detective Beckett" Javier Esposito exclaimed, "Why are you here?"

Kate didn't know what to say, work, it was her anchor and she used work like a drug that would instantly take away the inner raw pain she was feeling. She wasn't sure how she would react going back but she knew she had to get out for awhile, she had to feel purpose.

"You trying to get rid of me Espo" she kidded, half heartedly.

"No, mam' just wanted to make sure your okay with coming back" He chuckled.

"Well, I will be sure to dial 911 if I need anything" she glared back.

Kate sat in her chair, its feel so familiar to her; she pulled up to her desk and realized that the chair was gone.

"Where is the chair?" She exclaimed.

"What chair?" Ryan answered back.

"The chair" Her voice rising "The chair next to my desk that has been by my desk since" She couldn't say it, the words stuck on her throat, frozen and unmoving…and then it just came out like a scream even though it was very unusual for Becket to scream at anyone or anything, "CASTLE's CHAIR!"

It was then she realized how raw she still was and she was losing it, very quickly her resolve was fading away and she thought she could do it but then and there she was realizing she could not.

"It, we thought, we didn't want" Ryan stammered like a wounded puppy.

"Beckett, it's ok, we will find it for you, we promise, we didn't think you would want to…" Espo explained also looking like his best friend had smacked him and she had…

Just then Kate jumped up realizing that this wasn't going to go as planned, she plucked her black short leather jacket off of the chair and swung it around over her shoulder and without so much as a goodbye, and she left.

She ended up walking and walking, she couldn't think, couldn't breathe. It felt hard against her, the spring wind, it was warm but had that bite of the season that they were in. she seemed to walk for an hour when she realized she was across from the park where they would meet. Their park. The swings called her and she relented to them and because of time of day, the nanny crew, and the parents, who didn't work, was still in their houses, waiting for the time of day when the heat would help tire out the kids. She sat in her usual swing and stared at his swing, it was lonely, and it was sad but being there made her feel near him, just as sleeping in their bed every night did. She had pushed it, she had created this, why wasn't it working, and why had the chair affected her so much?

She spent a good hour swinging and just thinking and then finally her mouth took on its own life and her thoughts came tumbling out.

"Why Rick, why?" Kate cried out.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7-**

"Espo, glad you're here, I found something" Lanie said with excitement.

"What is it Chica?" Espo questioned.

"Well, I was looking at some of the items that were left next to the car's trunk and there is a partial print on the map that was found at the rear, remember we found that so weird."

"So are we dabbling into the field of forensics woman of mine?" He pulled her close to give her a sweet kiss but she backed away because of her surprise at the "woman of mine" statement, not because she was worried someone would see them, clearly everyone knew by now that they were dating.

"Javi, please don't say that, when you yourself have not wanted anything but a playful relationship, it's just not fair" she pouted.

"About that girl, we need to talk, I want more, seeing Castle and Kate get closer and explore what it is they have makes me want more as well, and …" he looked at her with those amazing brown eyes and immediately Lanie was swept away, " I don't want to lose you like she lost him."

"But it is looking like she hasn't lost him for sure", she pointed out.

"Yeah, it looks like that but we don't know where he is and frankly, I would be going crazy if it were you" he dropped his head on her shoulder and she looked at him, so wanting him now, there, in that autopsy room, but knew it was impossible with the amount of people that come and go daily. He picked up his head just in time and pecked her on the cheek.

"Oh, Javi, I really do care for you too, I just…look why don't we get together tonight and talk about it, but for now we have to do one thing and that is find Castle if he is still alive." She sighed.

"Okay, so what about the print?" He questioned.

"It is a partial print of the right hand index finger, usually the index finger, even if the whole hand isn't placed on an item the index finger will graze it." She continued, "and another thing, I am thinking that those items were NOT Castle's and not items in the Mercedes, I mean why would they be outside of the car like that, the whole car was burned beyond recognition, the trunk wasn't even ajar."

"You my dear are becoming quite the detective! Just makes me want you more" he reached for her again.

"You say the sexiest things, now please go take this print and look for a match in the data base, I will see you…later" she spoke in her most psaltery tone of voice, and their eyes locked in a long embrace, and then he was gone.

Kate stopped to look at it again; the picture was breath taking, not of her, but of Castle. His blue eyes perfectly matched his blue hued shirt and she wished with all of her soul she could melt one more time in them. She had placed the picture on the wall next to the bathroom and it was the most perfect place because she could look at it in the morning and in the night before bed. He was her "one and done", she never considered that Vegas wedding to be any wedding at all because of her state of mind, so to her marrying Castle was her one time, her ultimate soul mate and lover.

She quietly undressed and put on her night clothes, she hated bedtime now because for her it would always be a reminder of the fact that he would never be back, and it cut her very soul. She pulled down the covers of her bed and crawled in, but just as she did she heard a knock at the door. It was Alexis and it was apparent she was crying.

"Alexis, honey, what is wrong?" She asked deeply concerned.

"I was thinking of my Dad." She sniffed.

"Ahhh yes, I know, this is usually when I think of him too, come here" she patted the bed and Alexis sat down. "What made you think of him Hun?"

"I was looking at pictures thinking I would like to do a collage of Dad for the Memorial service on Saturday, I want to do a slide show with power point and it was a picture of the two of us, I couldn't have been more than six, and we were walking back from the park, he was holding my hand" and with that Alexis' eyes filled with tears, "I thought I will never get to hold his hand again", She bowed her head and sobbed.

Kate's eyes filled with tears as well and she reached for the Kleenex box. Then Kate spoke softly through the tears, "Do you remember when he went out to buy us that elaborate breakfast and the flowers from the shop, and when he came back he had forgotten that special hot chocolate you like?"

"Yes, the one with the fake mini-marshmallows, he always laughed because I could have had any hot chocolate on the market, good hot chocolate like Ghirardelli, but I always wanted the Swiss Miss. He was so disappointed and wanted to leave to go back to get it, but we said no, and all through the meal he kept staring at me as if he would rush out if I asked him, he was so kind, such a loving father", Alexis added through her tears.

"That is the Richard Castle I will always remember, the man behind the books, the father, the gentle boyfriend, caring about our needs before his, he was truly a man of integrity, and honor, and that is what we need to hold onto", she sadly spoke.

With that they held each other, closer than they ever were before, two women who had lost a piece of themselves, one a daughter who would never be able to hold on to her father's hand again and the other a woman who would never be able to hold his heart in hers.

"We have a match!" shouted Tori, as she called from the other room. Gates, Esposito, and Ryan ran into the room. All of them glued to the computer big screen. There up on the FBI website was the man who had something to do with the disappearance of Castle, this man who was so slick was not slick enough.

"His name is Oscar Atoli, and he is a mid level operative for the mid-eastern type Lashkar-e-Talaba, they are number four in the terrorist line ups. This man Atoli is their mid-level manager and hit man. It's no wonder Castle is on his radar, because of his connections" Tori added.

"What connection?" Gates asked.

"He was the only survivor of the attack on the house that Castle's daughter was held captive in" Ryan chimed in.

"Why is that a problem, he should be easy to find right?" Espo, sounding hopeful, added but then was turned back to no hope when Ryan spoke up again.

"Wrong, he was never found at the scene and has been missing ever since" Ryan's voice said in a lower tone adding on to Espo's disappointment.

"Well, I don't care, we need to find him, if he is our only link to Castle he might know who has him and I want to bring this man down and find Detective Beckett's fiancé, now!" Gates exclaimed.

And with that Ryan and Esposito went to work finding the only connection to Castle, his disappearance, and why they needed him so badly.

The mood was of course sadness; it was totally felt and seen by almost everyone in the crowd. It was palpable and at the same time a great tribute to the loss that everyone, even just friends of Castle felt. The room was bursting at the seams; people had come to honor Richard Castle from all over the globe. He was a truly loved individual and it made Beckett proud to be even a part of his life for the small time they had together. The place looked lovely and it was decorated with all types of pictures of Rick when he was young and just getting his start as a writer all the way up to the picture with him and Kate shortly before his death.

"Hello Kate darling." Martha gave her a long hug and brought her around to meet with the guests who had come, small talk and hugs, stories of how he had touched lives and created dreams. Alexis hung on Kate's arm never wanting to leave her side and they greeted many from the police station as well. Then, it was Lanie, Espo, Ryan, and Gates, and for the first time Kate's eyes welled with new tears.

"So sorry sweetie" Lanie spoke sadly but inside her heart was churning, she hated keeping her best friend in the dark about Castle but in order to find him alive they needed to be very careful. Even Tori, who was not there due to continuing her investigation of all the international networks, was sworn to secrecy. As Kate went off with Martha this time on her arm, Alexis had a chance to ask how things were going with the investigation.

"What have you found out?" she inquired.

"Not much, but we do have a major lead to go on and Tori is back at the precinct checking it out to see if it has any connection" Ryan added. Jenny came up behind him and pulled herself close.

"Alexis, do you have any recollection of a man named Oscar from the group of men holding you at the mansion in Paris?" Esposito asked.

"No, I really didn't know their names, they shouted a great deal and their accent and language was so foreign to me that I just didn't try to decipher it."

"Okay, do not worry, we will take care of it, we have this lead and it seems to be a good one" Espo hated saying more or giving her more hope than necessary, fact was it could take months or years before they could ever hope to find out who this was or why they wanted Castle so badly to run him off the road, torch his car, and stage his death. Leverage was the only word that came to mind when it came to the whole situation, pretty soon someone was going to make a move or give up a location, and he just knew it.

Just then Martha, Kate, and Alexis took their seats up front. Kate looked around in amazement at the decorations that Martha and Alexis did, every detail about his life, and then the power point Alexis did was presented on the screen before them. It was truly wonderful as it depicted his college crest, his Derek Storm novels, and his Nikki Heat novels, pictures of trips that he took, organizations he funded, and people he helped. It was so full of him that Kate softly cried in her seat, and Alexis joined in as well.

Then came the testimonies, first James Patterson:

"Rick was truly an amazing man, as many of you know he was quite the playboy, many times we saw his escapades in the papers, his times when he seemed on top of the world. But people rarely saw the Rick we knew at the poker table, determined to be the best writer he could be always, his desire to listen to Stephen Cannell and I was truly wonderful and good for us because it made him lose, but there was one thing I noticed that Rick never did, out of all of those trysts and one night stands, he never brought anyone to meet us at the table. Then one night, there she was…Kate Beckett and in that single moment I saw something that Rick never exhibited before, true love, and he began winning!"

Everyone chuckled. Next up was Paula, his book agent:

"Rick was exasperating; he had a time schedule of his own. I tried many times to call him, to try to get him invested in other works but Nikki Heat was his passion. I asked him one time if it was because of you Kate and he denied it but it was, it truly was, because it was in his eyes, always in his eyes, but one thing was for sure, he loved his family and his friends, always bringing us into his make believe world. He wrote about me as well, although never as much as he did Nikki, his "Kate" , and with that Paula did something very uncustomary for her…she cried.

With that many were drying tears from their eyes as well. Then Gates stepped up:

"Richard Castle was annoying, at first. My first time in the precinct was truly an experience and I did not like the idea of having him there at all. He was like a kid, and as Kate had shared with me, a nine year old on a sugar rush. But there was one thing many people didn't understand about Rick Castle, he was a cop, no not a real cop but he was a cop, a true investigator. He would become a big part of the 12th. His theories, his stupid tricks and antics, but to everyone he was Castle. So Kate, and family, I want to give you something to keep, he is a fallen policeman to all of us, he will always be 41319C" and with that she came down off the podium and handed Kate the badge.

Tears began to fall softly again, as Kate held the badge and then Ryan got up:

"Martha and Alexis, Castle will always be family and we will always cherish the time we had with him. He was our fourth man, our sounding board and bended ear, his wealth of knowledge helped us pursue and bring down many people who were bent on crime. Most of all he will be remembered by us for being the one man who tamed the Beckett!" and with that everyone laughed again. "Truth be told you were a very hard woman Kate, who always had our backs, your tenacity for work drove us always to give our very best, but you were missing something and when Castle walked in you changed, not at a great deal at first but you softened, and we could all have lives again, just kidding", and with that the people all laughed, Kate gave him a look and he straightened his tie and gulped again. "and you needed him, and most of all he helped you to solve your mom's murder, and that was in itself his biggest gift to you. I have a little something that will go up on the wall of the precinct, it's a plaque and it says _"In the little things you did, in the little ways you gave, you will be with us…Always…"" _and on the plaque was a picture of Castle in his writer's vest. Ryan walked down and gave Kate a big hug and then all of the 12th stood up and clapped.

Kate was so touched, no wonder she loved these people, her job. She must get back soon to do what is in her bones, she will have to get over the memories triggering sadness and get closure for the victims, she just wished she could get the one thing she needed for herself…her closure.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8-**

Kate awoke to a quiet house, too quiet. She jumped out of bed and did not linger because lingering would have brought back memories of Castle and the times they would share snuggled until the last snooze button was pushed. She had to get up any way because she was starting her first day back since his death and because it was at least three weeks since the wedding that that never was and…three weeks, it was then that it hit her, three weeks was when they would have been back from her honeymoon. Suddenly, uncontrollably, a tear slid down, it was hard to imagine and even harder to forget. His smile, his always bright attitude, she felt so robbed…

She stepped into the shower and walked into her normal routine. After, the shower she wandered over to the kitchen to find her usual mug and crossed over to the coffee pot. She was just getting ready to pour her coffee when Martha came down the stairs; she was dressed in her usual style of couture and color.

Alexis had returned to school to finish out an internship she began before the wedding and took many of her things with her to continue staying on campus. It was easier, and after much deliberation the three of them had decided that her not going back to school was not what her father would have wanted, besides with the amount of money saved up into several mutual funds, not only did it take care of Alexis' schooling, but the rest of their lives were going to remain quite comfortable. It wasn't unusual for Castle to have for thought and proper planning to secure his finances, she was just amazed seeing his playboy past and habitual gaming addictions didn't find the money gone before he could take care of it.

Martha spoke, "Oh, Kate darling, good morning, I am off, can you take care of your own breakfast? I need to meet my entire troop at the theater in about 20 minutes, tomorrow is a big night for them all."

"Of course Martha I will be fine, coffee is on the menu," she put up her cup in the air, "and I can grab a bagel at the shop near the precinct if I get hungry later."

"Okay, my girl, try to have a good day…I will be thinking of you…" Martha tried to wait for a response but in her haste she was out of the door.

Kate headed out of the door and took a taxi to the precinct. When she arrived at her desk, she was very surprised to find a coffee already waiting for her and when she asked who had brought her coffee, a young officer named "Foster" explained that a coffee service brought it by and stated that Mr. Castle had arranged that if anything were to happen to him, the service would have a coffee at her desk every morning for her to enjoy. This touched Kate so much, that she sat and cried again. He was so thoughtful even when he was gone!

The afternoon light shown soft into the precinct windows and Kate stretched after her long morning of paperwork and tracking down leads. She glanced again at the empty chair that sat beside her desk, and that had been put back after her rant, deciding that it will continue to stay there in memory of him. The precinct decided that if it meant that much to Kate, it meant that much to them.

Esposito sauntered over to her desk after a long morning of beat cop work,

"So, how are things going first day back, sorry I wasn't here to welcome you back fully, and no good murder, bummer"

"Nice, Espo, how thoughtful of you. I will be sure to let Gates know of your concern for the people."

"So what are you doing after work? Maybe we could grab a bite, you, me and Lanie? I'd ask "Daddy boy" but he hasn't accepted an invite the last twenty times I've asked him…but I can't blame him, that little chica is very adorable…" he smiled and for a brief moment Beckett felt the loss of the opportunity to have children with the one person she would ever want to have them with and it definitely shown on her face…"Oh, sorry, I ummm," Espo regret filling his words.

"Look Espo, there will be many times we will think of what might have been, I just need you to not walk on egg shells…that would be too much to bare." Kate responded.

"Okay, well then watch out girl, be prepared for me to show no mercy!" he said with a smile and wink. Kate smiled back at his humor, he always could pull her out of a funk. He always spoke things as they were for her and she appreciated that in him.

Lanie and Esposito sat quietly enjoying the Moo Shu pork and pot stickers, they had come to an impasse with the information they had divulged to each other and began to pick up the conversation again.

"So, Kate wasn't up for joining us tonight?" Lanie broached the subject again.

"No, she will be unable for awhile I am afraid, if it wasn't for that late homicide on the east side that needed a consult she would have come, but I think I saw a glimmer of relief knowing that she had something to occupy her evening rather than come with us and face the empty penthouse at night again…I can't even imagine what that must be like for her, I mean at least we know he's out there, that he's still alive, it's getting harder and harder not to tell her." Espo responded.

"We need to catch a break soon because I almost let it slip today when she came down to the morgue to check on that case we closed last week. You have no new leads yet?" Lanie sounded worried and Esposito could feel how hard this was warring on her.

Just then the man behind them turned and said that he needed to give them something, immediately Espo was on guard and the man got up dumped the note on their table and left the restaurant. Espo got up ready to go after the man when Lanie stopped him,

"No, Havi, wait, it's about Castle…" She responded with excitement.

They sprinted, no ran to the nearest park that was on East 164th and Jerome street, it was a know skate park with loads of activity and according to the note they were to stand on the south side of the skate ramps and grind rails looking onto the night skaters who partook of the excitement of skating late into the evening hours just once a month. Each skater signed a normal waiver to skate at all during the day but the night skates were well known in the area to bring out the real skating crowds. As Lanie and Esposito stood there waiting on the gate they were instructed to wait, a man in a polo shirt that was obviously well off and wearing jeans that go for more than Espo made in a week strode up to the same fence but standing 20 feet away. The nervousness of the moment stood out as one that would go down in Lanie's top ten, but it be well worth it if they were going to be able to bring Castle home to the woman he deserved, the love those two shared was something that the fairy tales were made of, and the nervousness she faced was worth it all.

"Please do not speak, allow me to introduce myself, I am Jackson Hunt, I am Castle's father." Hunt said as if he were making the most unordinary statement. Lanie sucked her breath in suddenly trying to hide what she had done but Hunt noticed right away.

"Yes, I know, it seems all surreal to you; however, I assure you that not only Castle knows who I am, but Kate as well. I am meeting with you like this because I know where my son is and I know you have evidence that shows who has him, but frankly, I am not sure we can get him back without losing him again."

Esposito spoke in astonishment, "so you know who's holding Castle, and you need us how?"

"I need you because you know information about where we can find the person responsible for attacking my family, these men were working for a high ranking official in this terrorist cell, and they were the ones who originally kidnapped my granddaughter, I had thought that when we rescued her that we had sufficiently eradicated everyone but apparently his brother is out to find me and ruin me for the death of his own brother. I need to find my son, I need your help, and although I have my resources, I have found a dead end that I cannot get around" he said sounding like a desperate father and not an operative with questionable ties to our government safety.

Lanie spoke up, "Sir, so let me clarify this for everyone's understanding, the attack on Castle, and the ruining of my friend's life is because you didn't dot your "i"s or cross your "t"s? You have got to be kidding me, Alexis and Castle made it out of there just barely and you want us to risk everything and possibly death by a well known terrorist organization to bring you the information that you with all of your resources can't seem to find. How do we know this piece of information you won't go in there full barreled and kill him in the process?"

"You can help me or not help me, but without knowing where this man is we will not be able to bring Castle back to my future daughter in law, my ex and my granddaughter!" He almost shouted.

"Suppose we divulge the information that we have, we just sit back and let you take the wheel, hoping that you will do the right thing with it, when we have spent long hours working this case, hoping for a break, I say no, unless we get to help find Castle and bring him home, we will not cooperate." Esposito declared not allowing this man to have the upper hand, this man who creates havoc wherever he goes, almost killing his granddaughter and his son, for what, because he refuses to take responsibility for his actions and his missteps.

"You don't seem to understand, my son has very little time, I need to know where he is, they will not keep him forever and they will not want excuses, they want him dead to torture me, to prove that they won, to…he is my son for God's sake and I am the only one who can help him!" Hunt's voice rose and without realizing it, he looked around trying to keep his composure. "Okay, Okay, I will allow help but if it starts to become something I cannot do with you, I will not promise, I will go my separate way"

"Deal. But know this, Beckett cannot know, she cannot do this. She is already fragile and cannot have her hope taken away. If we tell her and it doesn't work out and we bring him home dead, it will crush her." Esposito spoke frankly.

"Agreed, I have no problem with that, we can bring her in when the timing is right", Hunt agreed.

"No! I disagree, not when the timing is right, she will ONLY know when we bring him home!" Lanie demanded. Her obvious caring for the friend who was tortured daily by the loss of her only love was evident as she spoke again," ONLY when we find him alive, ALIVE!, she has been through too much!"

And with that Hunt was gone as quickly as he had arrived. The park had stood still and the skaters had flipped and turned in mid air only to begin again, creating a feeling of stopped time for the two people who not only loved Kate but the man who seems to love his son.

Kate turned the key in the lock and walked into the semi-dark penthouse. It had been a long day with a last minute consults with the 21st precinct on a case that she had helped them with several years before, it was a great opportunity to finally see some closure to that case, and she was worn from the ups and downs of detective life. She had picked up a slice on the way home, so all there was to do was wash the makeup off her face, brush her teeth, and crawl into bed. As she walked through that routine she became very aware that this may be what would happen to her the rest of her life. Sure she had Martha and Alexis to lean on and there would be birthdays, vacations, and Christmas' without him, but she wasn't sure the day to day was going to be any easier.

She wandered almost in a dream over to the bed, their bed, and hunkered down under the covers. The softness of the cotton sheets that almost felt like silk to her skin had her drifting off as soon as her head hit the pillow. What happened next was what happened in every restless sleep she had from the accident until now…it was the same every time…very real and very heart wrenching…

"_Castle? Castle?' Kate called._

"_I'm here Kate, I'm here.' Rick would respond._

"_Castle, I can't see you, where are you?" She called again._

"_I'm here Kate, over here." He would respond again._

_She would look again and again, around them, through them. She would sit in them, she would circle them and circle them, looking for him, her heart aching, her tears flowing, and she could never quite see him, never quite find him…_

_He was there, somewhere, beyond the swings._


	9. Chapter 9

As the sun rose over the city a yawning Kate Beckett sat in her desk going over the file in front of her; the file from the night before. She looked up and grabbed the paper cup with the familiar brown sleeve and logo of "their' coffee shop, she turned the cup around and grinned, the name on the side of the cup was "Mrs. Castle" and at first it took her back when she saw it in the black of the ending third shift atmosphere in the bull pen, but now she smiled at the respect being shown to a woman who had touched the hearts of the people and should have been "Mrs. Castle". The next thing that happened was so startling but so familiar, a whistling.

"Good morning Beckett" whistled Ryan.

"Detective Ryan, what has got you so happy?" Beckett responded.

"The baby rolled over, she was trying so hard for so long and then…" all of the sudden Ryan stopped and saw the look on Kate's face. It was a face of extreme sadness and gut wrenching pain and he immediately knew what had happened. Even the thought of his chubby Sarah Grace rolling over finally after much anticipation couldn't take the pain for Beckett out of Ryan's heart.

"I am so sorry Kate, so sorry, I just was, I" Ryan immediately ran over to Beckett and wrapped his arm around her. Immediately Beckett turned and hugged Ryan,

"It's okay Ryan, you can't help but be happy and I am happy for you and Jenny too, it's just that"

"It's just that you won't have those experiences with Castle and it hurts" Ryan responded.

"Oh Ryan, Jenny is so lucky to have you, you are such a great guy and friend" she sniffed back pulling a Kleenex out of the box on her desk usually reserved for those whom she would have to inform of the death of a loved one, how ironic it seemed that now she was that loved one. Ryan responded with what could only be explained as an ultimate show of friendship and hugged Beckett until she could get herself under control. He picked up her coffee cup and said "I think it's time for a refill, Mrs. Castle".

Esposito was sure that this was Castle's dad, after all who else would have slipped him the cup with the note under the coffee sleeve. As the coffee barista handed him his coffee he felt nothing was off and as he walked out the door it continued to be very familiar but when he spied the small pen written arrow on the side of the cup he knew what he had to do, he stopped and ducked into an alley to read the note under the sleeve.

"Meet me under the 42nd east street sign and do not take notice of the man with the church bulletins in his hand…six sharp…

Esposito was almost there; he had taken his cruiser to the 44th street east garage and parked it, making sure to walk the two blocks to the area that Hunt wanted to meet. He did not tell anyone where he was going and knew there was a calculated risk with his decision but he needed to not worry about Ryan and Lanie right now, so he moved with a quick step to the destination. He took the spot that Hunt had wanted him to take and did not give the man with the church placard and bulletins any attention. In between the bellowing of the end of the world and making peace with our maker; the man in the unkempt beard and balding head was relaying a message that was the key to where to find Castle and what to do when they got there, and when he turned around after another loud beckoning of the masses, and a long silence, Hunt was gone again.

Lanie was all ears, so were Ryan and Jenny.

"So he met you there, without back-up, and after he left you a note in the morning giving you plenty of time to inform US?" Lanie shook her head in shear disbelief. "You are so busted my man!"

"Chica, I could not take anyone, you do not understand, I needed to follow directions, it could have meant Castle would suffer or be killed because of certain people being tipped off!" Espo pleaded.

"Shhhhh, remember Sarah Grace is asleep finally, unless you want to play and entertain our five month old until 2 P.M., you will calm down" Ryan retorted.

"Okay, okay, so Lanie's love spill the beans" Jenny squealed at the thought of not only being included in the information end of things but finally having something other than diapers and bottle feedings to talk about,

"Hunt said that this is the very man, this man is who we thought he was, and he's the son of the man who was killed when Hunt and Castle tried to save Alexis and the bullets started ripping apart the home his father was in" Espo spoke now in a much more hushed tone.

"Wow, so we were right, this is part of one of the most notorious groups ever and Castle is being held by them, I don't like this, I feel like we should let someone else help us because…" Lanie responded, Jenny secretly happy that Lanie had voiced what she was thinking herself.

"No, we can't go to anyone, something Castle told me in confidence but now it seems like it needs to be said" Ryan added.

"What? Did you know Hunt was Castle's Dad?" Jenny hollered and then immediately stopped with her hand over her mouth remembering her sleeping daughter in the room down the hall.

"No, no, not until Hunt told Espo's and Lanie's at their meeting with him in the restaurant and then they told me, but what makes me sure of how we should act is what Castle said to me, that if it were not for the fact that those men were the kind of men that no one would noticed if they were wiped off the face of the earth, his plan to save Alexis would never have worked. So, we can't get anyone involved and we can't open this up to Beckett because if anything does really happen to him, it would be the end of her sanity, she lost it again today when I mentioned Sarah Grace rolling over" he stated.

"She did? Oh wow! You guys have been waiting for that, Bro!" Espo replied with excitement but was quickly shaken back to the next question.

"So, now what do we do? If we can't go to anyone" Lanie inquired.

"We have to trust Hunt, his plan, and try, even though it is very dangerous, to save Castle" Ryan answered. Everyone nodded in agreement and the pact was made to keep this whole thing a secret because not only was their friend worth it but their other friend and boss was heartbroken without him.

The station was quiet and the week had gone by rather quickly, Hunt had made two contacts with Esposito since the last meeting, one to inform him that the check on Castle had proved he was still alive, and two his time was running out because the trade of Castle for Hunt must go down by Midnight on Sunday or it will be both of their deaths. Of course this was NOT an option for everyone involved even though they had no attachment to Hunt themselves he was after all Castle's father.

The booked flights and plans were in place and Lanie was sitting with Espo in the break room decompressing after another long night of planning. This created the perfect cover for Gates when she left for the weekend, purposely poking her head in to say goodbye to the two as they talked, thus giving the air of just another beginning to some time off. As Gates was leaving to get into the elevator she bumped into Alexis who was planning to meet Beckett for dinner.

"Ohhhh hello Alexis, how are you doing sweetie?" she asked.

"Good, how are you Mrs. Gates?" Alexis responded.

"Fine, fine can I help you? Is everything all right dear?"

"Yes, I am here to meet Kate, um I mean Detective Beckett for dinner, is she here?"

"Yes, she is but I think that she stepped out down to the records room. Just have seat over there and I am sure that she will be back up in a moment." Gates motioned to the chairs that were just outside of the break room and across from the bullpen. "Have a nice night, enjoy your dinner together" and with that Iron Gates, who had definitely mellowed and became one of the crew, left to enjoy her weekend with her family.

Alexis walked over to the chairs and proceeded to take her cell phone out of her purse. She kept herself busy scrolling through her mail, and Facebook, when she starting hearing the familiar voices of Espositio and Lanie come from the break room. She went to get up when she hear her father's name mentioned and it knocked her to her feet what she heard next…


	10. Chapter 10

Alexis strained to hear what they were saying,

"I am just so scared Javi, what if we don't get there in time and we go through all of this only to find him dead" Lanie's voice shook with fear.

"Look chica, you have to trust the plan, Castle's Dad will come through for us, and he made the plan happen when Alexis was saved, so we have to trust he can make this one work too." Javi placed his arm around her shoulders and looked around for anyone else who had lingered on, and when he didn't see anyone due to the long Fourth of July weekend ahead of them, he felt free to steal a long kiss, however what happened next made both of them jump,

"Okay, I want to know right now what you two are up to!" Alexis shouted.

"Oh, hi there hun, we were just getting ready to leave for our trip to the Catskill Mountains, we…"

Alexis cut her off abruptly. "No you were not, you have information on my father and my guess is you haven't told Kate either"

"I am not sure you heard right Alexis we were just, we were saying how much Castle and Beckett would have…" Espo chimed in.

"No, do NOT try to even cover this up, I cannot believe he is alive, and I cannot believe you wouldn't tell Kate of all people, that is just so wrong, she loved him, she is heartbroken!" She admonished him.

"Look Alexis hun, we cannot talk here, she will be back any moment, how about we meet after you get done with your dinner, make up some excuse to not go back to the loft and meet us up the street at that little café with the red and green curtains" Lanie spoke to Alexis in a calming manner and with her arm around her to comfort her, "we will explain everything".

"Okay, but you better not think you can avoid me or I will run screaming to Kate, he is my Dad and I am an adult now, I deserve to know!" Lanie and Espo looked at each other as if to say "Wow, she is just lie her father" but they felt it would not be wise to stay and get caught by Kate when she came up from the records room.

"Okay, okay, eight and we WILL be there" and with that they were both gone.

Just as the elevator doors close, Kate came around the corner and glanced up seeing Alexis smile, she said, "Hey there, I'm almost ready to go, did you figure out where you would like to go for dinner?"

"Yeah, I'm in the mood for pizza, can we go to Authentic Nick's?" She said.

"Okay, but you know Terrific Nick's pizza is better, at least that is what they say" Kate teased and they laughed.

It was no use, once they told Alexis the plan there was no stopping her from going. She, of course, would not be in any danger, and would try very hard not to get in the way, but she was still going to be one of the first to wrap her arms around her father. Her father was alive, for now, that was so very nice to say to herself, she was so upset and despondent from his death like her all in all was gone, she didn't eat well, like Kate, and she also was not sleeping right. A very large part of her desire to stay at the loft most of the time was gone and so she was staying in Button's apartment on and off, so it was not so unusual when she told Kate she was joining Button's family on a last minute trip to the Catskill Mountains to her family retreat.

Everyone met at the airport, except Jenny for obvious reasons, and boarded the first trip for most of them to parts around Europe, even Lanie and Esposito did not have the luxury of flying as a couple. The flight was long and hard on Alexis who drifted off into fitful dreams due to her nerves over finding her father dead by the time they got there. The compound that he was being kept at was heavily guarded with barbed wire and it was no surprise that they all had to cross the Spanish boarder to get there. The reason for this maneuver was not to draw attention on many of Castle's friends and family going on a trip together and to land in the same place as well. Hunt said they could not be too careful and had asked the Turkish government to help with the attack by giving them some of their best militant soldiers to perform the task of raiding the compound when they stormed it. They were pretty sure of the location of Castle within the building because informants who were hired on without the knowledge of the entire case.

The whole plan was to be carried out by people from all over the globe who were a part of Mr. Hunt's secret organization; they were mercenary soldiers who helped when the government couldn't carry out a task without causing major casualty and distress to the people who they were saving. One thing that the team was realizing by this whole operation was that the CIA and the FBI, even Homeland Security had their limits and in the end it was up to the individual secret cluster groups to get it done.

As the group surrounded the compound, they checked their final connections and directions. No one had better screw up because it would put many of them in danger. Lanie and Alexis were positioned in the van several miles away listening to the plan unfold, and as much as Alexis begged her grandfather, there was no way she was going to be part of the final take over. This conversation took part the night before at a small cabin located at the edge of France.

"_But I can do this, since my Dad has been with Beckett, and because of when I was taken last time, my Dad has taught me to protect myself, I am a sharp shot with a gun and I know every take down move …I can show you… I" She begged._

"_Alexis, it is not that I don't want your help and I know you have been learning how to be a better prepared person due to our last time here, but I just cannot take the chance!" Hunt retorted, "You're father and grandmother would kill me and…"_

"_I am going, my father is in there and we don't know if he is alive or not, sure we have people telling us that no harm has been done but I really don't know for sure, I…"_

"_You need to trust he is Alexis and you have to trust me! I realize that is hard, I know I have not been the ideal grandfather, but …"_

"_But what, say it, start today being my grandfather, start by telling me WHY I can't go in there…be honest for once in your life!" She was desperate, the thought of not being able to participate was killing her, she wanted to be there, be able to hug him, thinking he was dead nearly killed her as well, she even contemplated leaving college and working more on the sales end of his books, to keep his legacy going. She wanted to know what it was that was dangerous and to be treated like she mattered…_

"_It's because, I love you, okay! There I said it!" _

_Alexis was stunned. She didn't think that this man who never seemed to want to be around for her family, was even the least bit connected to her._

"_I love you; you are my granddaughter in every sense of the word. Oh sure I realize that all I have are pictures of when you were growing up and times when I could get away to watch you and your Dad personally myself, it killed me not having a relationship with you and your father, it was a sacrifice I had to make, I had to remain an arm's length away. Do you understand why?"_

"_NO! You don't get to make excuses to keep me away, again! I want my Dad to know I am there to fight for him, to get out, and further more I resent that you kept Beckett, my grandmother, and myself out of this process and allowed us to grieve for him, do you even realize what he means to all of us, do you?" she continued without changing tone and attitude, all of the feeling of the missed wedding, the grief she had felt over his death, and the resentment that this man was still screwing up their lives with his so called "Connections" was bubbling to the top and exploding._

"_I wept for days! Beckett walks through her days like a ghost of the woman she was, my grandmother had to bury her son before herself which is an UNTHINKABLE pain! So NO! I really don't want to hear how sorry you are and I don't want to be told I can't be there to see my Dad released and out of harm's way!"_

"_Alexis, you are not going in, maybe someday, someday…you will see why"_

_And with that Alexis went into her designated room to continue to be at odds with the only grandfather she had ever known, and the grandfather pulled out a picture he kept, in his wallet, close to him, but the only relationship he would ever get. _

The lack of excessive motor noise and the screech over the speaker in the van told her that the vehicle had come to a complete stop. They were at the border of their mission and Alexis gave the look to Lanie that only Lanie could understand. It was time, and the fate of Castle, of the mission, of Esposito, Ryan, and all of the groups involved was at hand, Alexis may not have been there physically on the side lines waiting for her father with a desire to save him, but she was there in spirit which was all that anyone would let her do at this time. It was then that for the first time she feared for this mission, this suicide that they were all consumed in completing that she thought of him…the man who was so unfamiliar to her…the man she called "HUNT"…her grandfather, and she prayed.


	11. Chapter 11

_The previous morning:_

_Kate looked around at the quiet loft and sipped her cup of coffee. Alexis had left to go to Hamptons with the Dutton family for the long weekend and Martha was involved with her theater groups upcoming performance of "Whose Afraid of Virginia Wolff?" so Kate was left to enjoy the Fourth of July from the loft windows. It wasn't very out of the ordinary for her because it was only last year that Castle had insisted on going to the highest place in New York city to watch the fireworks, complete with a dinner for two. It always amazed her how much Castle could pull off, it seemed he had connections all over this city and she loved him for that. Loved him cut her heart in two again and a small tear slid down…she did not break down as much anymore, she needed to be strong for Alexis and Martha, even if they weren't hear, strong for herself then, because if not, she would be one step into Bellevue._

_Just then the phone rang, it was not a number she recognized but the last name on the caller ID was Dutton and immediately Kate knew that it was the Duttons calling from their home number, but that was odd, Alexis was supposed to have been with them in the Hamptons, perhaps she wouldn't be alone after all for the fourth._

"_Hello" Kate answered worriedly._

"_Hello, is this Kate?" Mrs. Dutton asked on the other end._

"_Yes, how are you Margret?" Kate responded._

"_Well, I am not sure how I am; do you have Alexis' cell phone number?" She asked._

"_Wait, um why do you need Alexis' cell? I thought she was with you. Aren't you in the Hamptons?" Kate's level of concern rose. _

"_Um, no, I thought that she and Buttons were going to your place in the Hamptons" Margret, sounding very concerned interjected. _

_This was it, although by all rights Alexis was at the age where she could come and go as she pleased, and Kate was certainly not of the right to question at all being neither her mother nor her step, she had felt like she was now in a position to inquire and look out for her almost step-daughter. _

_After the conversation, and further digging on Margret Dutton's part, they figured out that the girls had devised a plan that was in no short form an act that was worthy of even Martha's coveted roles, but why? Kate decided to go to the precinct only after her phone call directly to Alexis was ignored in the space of an hour, it was so not like her to call back and if busy at least text Kate back with why she could not respond, so Kate's worry began to mount especially since once before the thought of a kidnapping was so easily unfolding before her and Castle had found her in Paris. Despite all that Castle had told her about that fateful time period she knew much was not disclosed due to the sparing of her own feelings and reactions to the matter. So she decided to ask Captain Gates for advice. _

"_Come in" Gates commanded._

"_Sir, I am having difficulty and I'm asking for advice" Beckett quietly spoke, something that she had never done with her superior before, sure she was always respectful, but never soft spoken. _

"_First, why are you hear, your whole team is off this weekend and secondly what is the issue detective?" Gates responded. _

_Beckett glossed over the reasons why she was there because the issues contained the reason. _

"_I was wondering if I could pick your brain about something. I am concerned about Alexis and her not informing me her true plans for the Fourth, I mean I know she is an adult and is not my child but she hasn't been outwardly deceiving about where she has gone and Castle has only told me about one other time that she has done this and I'm really getting very nervous about this…how far do I push this…do I…"_

"_Detective, no child I have ever known has hated their caretaker for being concerned, whatever help you need in finding her I will approve and detective try not to worry, usually we find them doing something harmless and think ourselves silly for even raising concern, Mr. Castle raised a very well put together young adult." Gates, sounding like a mother, responded. _

"_Thank you, sir." _

_As Beckett walked away from her office she began to think of the numerous ways she could track her just enough to find out she was safe but not alert her as to someone spying on her. She was at a deficit too…Jenny and Ryan had plans with family, Esposito and Lanie had taken a trip to the Catskills, unusual but probably prompted by her ever growing desire to do things Espo loved, no she couldn't get them to help so she dug right into it herself. First, she checked Alexis' phone records and what she found shocked her, two calls placed to American airlines, unusual for her, but what struck her as even more perplexing was that her bank account confirmed the purchase of tickets and the flight manifest had her name booked on a flight this morning to, and Beckett's jaw dropped, SPAIN?_

_Beckett jumped up causing her chair to roll away fast, why, Spain, so far out, out of the country. What was she thinking? She knew she had gone to Europe with her grandmother but that was a trip with a responsible adult, what would she know about Spain, who would she know in Spain, she had to talk to Martha because this was getting more bizarre by the second. She picked up the phone and dialed Martha because now was the time to panic. _

"_Martha, I don't want to alarm you but Alexis never went to the Hamptons with the Duttons, she is in Spain, Martha why would she go to Spain?" Kate questioned very upset._

"_Kate, dear, please do not worry, there is a reason and I guess now you will need to know"_

_And as Martha unfolded the whole story to Kate, she couldn't believe that her team, the very people she trusted would keep something so important from her, she confronted Martha about the deception and Martha retorted back at her…_

"_Kate, when you lost Richard you lost yourself, we were extremely worried that if we came to you with even a glimmer of hope then you would no doubt run head strong into it and if he had not survived his captors you would have been completely crushed. Plus, you are not totally convinced that Hunt is above board and you would not have trusted him, we knew we must trust him, because even the best of what he was giving us to go by was all fraught with "what ifs" She explained. _

"_But Martha, I need to go over there, I need to be a part, I cannot just sit here and wait. I can help get him out, I can…" _

"_Kate, you are a grown woman, and I know you feel like being treated like a little kid right now but even Alexis might find out that this was useless and that Hunt has betrayed us, but she needs to know she has a grandfather, even if that grandfather could fail her. He saved her, let her save him. I cannot tell you to stay or go, but since you now know about what has happened I beg you to not get involved, let this play out on its own, accept it and wait for them to tell us what they have found" Martha implored._

"_I am not sure I can, Martha" Kate began to cry. _

"_Kate, you are the strongest woman I know, you need to continue that strength for me, for Alexis and if we get to see him alive again, for my son" Martha pleaded._

_Kate began to hear Martha's reason and accepted it for now, but there is one more thing that she could do that would be of help. _

Present day:

Hunt held the walkie-talkie in his hands noticing the feeling of sweat that was rising between his skin and the device. He punched the button to contact all of the people that were on his team one by one, each had an assigned task and number capable of one assigned move and part to play in, what Esposito and Ryan felt was their longest and most intricate rescue/take over yet. Knowing now what it took to rescue Alexis, they were not sure this plan was going to work or if even a rescue would occur. This was their third day just scoping the place out and seeing if the plan would work with the reality of the dimensions and schematics of this area.

The compound that was detected to be the place where Castle was supposedly held was a two story brick building that looked like an old storage facility with regular windows surrounding the three sides that were high and wide. Each window was broken up in the pane area with an eight block grid of steel that separated each smaller pane from the other. That bottom three panes opened to give air flow into the building and was big enough for a small sized person or a child to crawl through, the brick was not the usual brick of the Americas but a combination of cement and brick which gave it a spectacular color but durability much higher than regular type of brick. The fencing was top grade government fencing with barbed wire encircling it, there was only one way in and, because of the age of the building, it was definitely not up to current European high standards of construction with only two doors on, a larger garage type door and a smaller side door. Hunt knew that this made it even harder to access without detection and that it would be even harder to escape, how he wished he could have the last mission where he saved his granddaughter; it was a much easier set up. This plan did have one helpful addition though, someone that no one would suspect getting inside.

"Two, do you copy?" Hunt's voice was quiet but forceful enough.

"Copy, one" Esposito answered.

"Three, copy?" Ryan answered.

"Confirming locations and assignments" Hunt's voice again.

"Copy, mission identified. The target is in the top room to the left of the south wall. If he's in there, alive, we will find him, if he is not you have your instructions" Hunt's voice went from hope to a hint of despair. "We must work in perfect tandem if we are to have a positive outcome for everyone. We need you all to be ready at anytime"

"Roger that" Both Ryan and Esposito answered back.

"Ok, let's begin, let's free the target" Hunts final radio message was calm and confident.


	12. Chapter 12

_**One week before:**_

_Castle woke up to a room that was bare, just the cot he was lying on, and a portable camping toilet. There was no running water but at the foot of the bed there were water bottles and a pack of all things, baby wipes. He remembers that he was being held somewhere in an abandoned cabin, in a room similar to this but there were no baby wipes. Someone always brought food and it was usually an MRE which in the military is an acronym for "meals ready to eat" but that last meal at the cabin was a real meal, a delicious meal but of course, seeing his surroundings, it was the way they drugged him. That explains the tinny taste in his mouth, and the reason for the sleepiness was because he was transported, to where he had no idea but guessing by the greenery outside it was not to another place in the US. She will find him, she will come, maybe with Hunt, maybe not, but he knows she will come, she has to because if she doesn't it will crush him, he refuses to think along those lines because those thoughts could spiral him down a path he wishes not to explore._

_He slides his slippers on and ties the rough cloth robe around him, this is definitely not the Four Seasons, having only his underwear on underneath was surprisingly comfortable and the three inch gash he had on his left leg from the crash was healing, he reached up to feel his face and the beard he had grown was ragged and unkempt, and then it hit him again like a brick, Kate would hate it if she could see him now, and a single tear slid down his face. His mind shifted to Kate, his beautiful Kate, she thinks he's dead, maybe, she thinks he's alive, and if she knows he is or refuses to believe what she sees before her, the agony she must feel, another tear. He was furious at first, knocking thing over, refusing to eat, angry with everything but then reason took control and he inwardly became sullen and dominated over, it will not get him back to her if he is left dead when she finds him or beyond saving, he must keep his strength up to be able to free himself or be of use when he is rescued. Rescued, that is the vision that keeps him alive and the memories he has of the three women in his life, the most important he could not choose but Beckett, Kate, is somewhere first of course, a different kind of love he has never experienced before. _

_He knows that where ever he is it is close to Spain because that drug they gave him for a couple of days may have rendered him useless to others but his mind was somewhat swimming with what his surroundings were, and he's not in the same place but he is close, that much he remembers from his European trip with Meredith, and it's surrounded by forest because that is all he sees from his deep thick tree line, nobody for miles he presumes, so he waits. He knows who they want, and he can identify the dialect, same one that he heard from terrorists that took Alexis and held her to get in contact and trade for Hunt. Hunt, uggg, why does that man always ruin things for his family, why does he have so many enemies and why can't he just disappear for good! Should have left the bullet in him, at every twist and turn a man whom he cannot trust and certainly not trust with the people in his life, no once this was over and he didn't know when it would be over, Hunt has no reason to accept their demands, he has no real attachment to Castle and his family, sperm donor and that is about the long of it! _

_Castle gets enraged and throws the box from his MRE, it was disgusting anyway, and looks out the window, it's around one in the afternoon, he knows because of the suns placement in the sky, he looks over at the tree where he found that bird yesterday, there he is, same branch, he's funny looking which only appeals to Castle more and has a long bill like the woodpecker, only he has black and white stripes on his plume and on half of his body. He talks to him, even though the bird will never hear a word he says because the windows are sealed tight, except for the air coming from the vent above he has not smelled fresh air in almost, what day is it, he looks at the scrapes on the dirt that is in the corner of the window sill, seven, yep day seven and he is talking to a bird, and while some would consider that crazy it is not because Castle has talked to this bird to "keep" his sanity. He aches for Kate, it's not a sensual ache but it is an ache in his heart, so he talks to the bird through the window, he looks like a woodpecker, and he has named him "Woody", his mother would laugh at him, every Saturday he would rise and go into his mother's room, she was usually asleep or not there so he would go to the living room where he would switch the TV on and watch old reruns of "Woody the Woodpecker" on one of the channels, he couldn't remember which one, he had taught himself to take the step stool and get the cereal and milk out of the refrigerator, he would fix it himself because his nanny was never there on a Saturday, it was her day off._

_He begins to converse with "Woody":_

"_Okay, Woody, what will we talk about today, let's see, we left off at Montgomery being the third cop and oh yes, the hanger, well after I arrived I found…"_

_This was how everyday had been for Castle, reliving each and every case for days, stopping to explore all of his feelings at that time, expressing them to a bird that neither cared nor heard what he had said, but who provided a level of comfort and normalcy for Castle._

Later on in Kate's day:

Kate was in the park, she had to think, she had to feel him, sitting in their spot helped, he was alive and he was out there and she needed to find him! A small tear slid into her lower eye lid but she quickly wiped it away, she needed to be strong for him, she needed to get answers. She had tried to reach out to numerous connections but could not find anyone to help, she left several messages to everyone, even Jordan Shaw, nothing, it was like everyone around her had dropped out of site.

Just then a man came up from behind; Beckett jumped up and drew her weapon…

"Stand down officer; you do not want to shoot the messenger!"

Kate turned around to find Agent Danbert behind her and she dropped her weapon and extended her hand.

"Agent Danbert, so nice to see you again, thank you for coming to New York to help me" Kate welcomed him.

"Detective Beckett, the pleasure is all mine, I will always be ready to help when I can the woman who helped me expose and take down the infiltration of a KGB spy within our CIA ranks, without you and Castle, we could have had a major world catastrophe on our hands" He replied. Just the mention of Clara made Beckett fume;

"Did you manage to find anything yet in the databases?" She questioned him and he could see that the one thing on her mind was definitely Castle.

He had received the phone call from a very worried Beckett at about 2 P.M. and boarded the first flight from D.C.

"I found the area roughly where they are keeping him and although the Spanish government didn't want to hand over the airport surveillance footage, the higher ups, under my direction were very forceful in their insistence to their government that this would be considered the detaining of an American figurehead seeing that castle is very popular in the United States, had he just been an ordinary man we would have had a harder go of it" he chuckled, and this made Kate chuckle as well, "No he is everything but ordinary".

"So where are they keeping him?" Kate responded again, very eager to get started, and to find the man she loved, every inch of her needed him safe, every inch of her hoped.

"He is being held in what looks to be a highly guarded compound in a small town just over the Spanish boarder"

"France, again? So this must be the work of the same people who tried to kidnap Alexis and hold her to get Richard's father, Hunt" She stated very angrily.

"I take it you have had dealings with Mr. Jackson Hunt?" Danbert inquired.

"Oh yes, two and both of them not pleasant, he lurks around and comes into Richard's life twice and both times people get hurt, or are put in danger, let's just say I have no warm fuzzy feelings for my future father in law" Kate was not holding her feelings back anymore, she was mad at this interloper, a man whom she could not trust.

"Well, we can neither confirm and or deny that this Jackson Hunt actually exists due to the numerous ramifications and his rouge work within many departments in our government, I can tell you though that he is legit, he has a cause and a purpose, if that helps?" he replied.

"Unfortunately, not much, how about we get started" Kate responded back.

"Ready to help, detective"


	13. Chapter 13

Kate's heart was in her throat, the last of the details were in place, finally the time she had waited for was in front of her and the constant fear was relinquished to a knowledge that Castle was alive, he was trapped, kidnapped, scared and alone but he was alive. The perfect place to wait for all that was going to go down was here; Detective Danbert had filled her in on everything necessary. These men were being led by the son of the man that had kidnapped Alexis and taken her to Paris. The only thing that had Kate confident that they had a chance of saving him was the fact that he was needed to trade for Hunt, but Kate knew all too well that if they traded Hunt for Castle it would end very badly and she admired her friends for trying. Oh, she knew what was going on fully now, Esposito, Ryan, Lanie, and Alexis were all here, but she didn't know where, they were trying to save Castle, and she really had to hand it to them because they kept her in the dark for almost too long. Her resolve had been beaten down, she had given up and they hadn't, but then again they knew more about the body in the car and the evidence that was presented made a pretty good case that Castle was still alive. Kate realized for the first time just how far her friends would go to protect her and to keep her safe, and she knew all too well Hunt could be a pretty good manipulator of facts and leading people to fight his causes, she had seen that first hand, so she was still hesitant to place trust in him at all.

She watched from the forest as Hunt and the men went in, this was her cue and the tipping point where Danbert and his people would swoop in and take over, the mission was to wait until Hunt had made his move and clean up after him. It was really befitting that Hunt would not be the victor today, or disappear again, it was time that he faced all of his people that were doing it the right way and even if it meant saving him and his son in the process. Hunt and his men moved closer and closer when suddenly a shot rang out and there was a flurry of activity. Smoke and guns were everywhere and when Kate couldn't see the situation anymore she decided enough was enough and scurried down the hillside to the target.

As she ran, she had one guy run up to her, and she managed to use the lock hold around his neck and brought him down to the ground in one motion, she ran on to the next one and took her gun and placed it ahead of her shooting the man in thigh, she proceeded on and came to a door on the south side of the building, the smoke was heavy and she tried to peer inside but just as she did another one of the men grabbed her and spun her around pinning her to the door, just as he did he slumped down and fell to the ground…

"Well, if it isn't my future daughter in law" Hunt chuckled

"Hunt, thanks for making my wedding day hell, now would you mind helping me save your son?" Kate responded in a very irritated way.

"Certainly" He responded not reacting to her tone of voice.

They entered into the first corridor and tried to reach the stairwell to the second floor but it was blocked again by the terrorist's men. Kate shot at one taking him down but the other grabbed hold of her weapon and fought with her until she dropped it, she screamed,

"Castle, can you hear me, Castle, respond"

"Kate, up here" Castle answered back, hearing the noise and clamoring downstairs and outside as more shots rang out. She tried to get her gun but it was kicked out of the way again. Looking across the way she saw Hunt as he wrestled with another man and then a shot rang out and he was on the ground.

"HUNT!" Kate shouted and ran over to him, he may have made her angry in the past but he was the father of her future husband and she knew that in order for the mission to be a success she must bring home both men. She could see he was still breathing and just when she looked up detective Danbert and four other CIA operatives came through the door. They knocked out the two other guys in the stairwell and ran up the stairs, just as quickly as they had stormed the building the whole thing was over, but where was Castle, where was he in all of this, Kate tried to get answers but she could not leave Hunt, she needed to apply pressure to the wound or he was in danger of bleeding out. All the sudden it hit her, she could not see Castle anywhere, where was he?

She shouted to the detectives…

"Is he up there? Is he alive, please, please…" Kate shouted out, her words fell on deaf ears as a flurry of bullets and smoke rained down from the upstairs. Then it all stopped, the entire area was silent. The men came down the stairs and detective Danbert followed them…

"Where is he, where is Castle?" Kate cried as they shook their heads in disbelief, he was gone, somehow, some way they didn't get to him in time.

"What do you mean he's gone, where could he go? There was only one way up and one way down!" Kate was trying to shield her frustration and tears but it was becoming increasingly harder to do, it didn't make sense to her, how could he have just vanished. Hunt had been taken to the nearest hospital to be taken care of and Danbert was keeping her abreast of all of the details. He was being rushed to surgery at this very moment and he would be taken back to the US to face his crimes.

She looked around the bare room and realized this is where Castle had been spending his time, she found an empty MRE package and empty bottles of water, she was thankful that at least they were treating him well, no blood on the bed and on the sheets, slippers under the bed and a camping toilet that definitely was in need of changing, he was safe here, thankfully, Kate thought, but where was he and was he still as safe as before, she knelt down at the edge of the bed and laid her arms across the mattress, she pleaded to God, or the heavens, to please keep him safe and that is when she saw it on the window sill, it was a piece of MRE box and it had the faintest etching on it, it looked like it was penned with a type of chalky material and it simply said,

Meet me at our spot-Castle

Kate's heart knew at that moment that he was okay, somehow, some way he was okay. She jumped up and ran down the stairs getting the attention of CIA gentleman that was there with her and asked if he could take her to the nearest airport. He obliged and she got on the first plane back to the states.

Lanie and Alexis sat by the fire of the very quiet cabin, neither one could speak, they were just too much in knots trying to find out what had happened, waiting for some word. Suddenly, they heard a car drive up and jumped to see who it was, and then Alexis let out a cry…

"No, no, no…there are only three people getting out, they couldn't do it, they couldn't save him, or he was not alive, nooo…" She cried as she dropped to the ground near the door, Lanie rushed to her side and comforted her, just then the door opened and a very haggard Esposito walked in, Lanie's heart skipped a beat, thank God he was alive, and then Ryan who had a couple inch gash on his forhead, and as they looked up expecting to see Hunt, it wasn't him but a man who resembled him. Alexis jumped up,

"DAD! You're alive, oh Dad your safe, how, where?" Alexis shouted as she wrapped her arms around her father's neck. She clung there for a good five minutes when Esposito said,

"Yes, he's alive and if it were not for the schematics of the building and Hunt's plan we would have never gotten him out, those air shafts at the far corner of the room were just big enough to hold us, it was perfect way to get him out unharmed" He finished.

"Well, I am glad you are all in one piece, Ryan let me look at that cut you have" Lanie summoned Ryan over to the table and took out her medical bag. "Castle, what about you hun are you okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine Lanie, where is Beckett? Kate?" He spoke with great concern.

"She back in the US, she's not here"

"Yes, she was there, she screamed my name, she was asking where I was and then nothing, we have to go back and get her" He insisted.

"Wait, Beckett knows about all of this?" Esposito was confused, so were the rest of the cabin's inhabitants.

"Castle, man you have been through a lot, I think you just…" Ryan chided him.

"No, she was there and where is Hunt? My father?" Castle asked.

"Why don't we get you something decent to eat and a change of clothes, these ones stink bro" Espo chimed in, "And then we will have a long conversation"

Kate sat waiting in the park and in their spot; she hoped he was coming soon because she had waited two hours and nothing. She sat there on the swing thinking over the events of the last 48 hours. It all was making sense to her, the plan, then attack on the compound, and then her mind raced to present, when she got off the plane at 6 A.M. in the morning, the sun was just rising over the city and she received a call from Gates,

" _Detective Beckett, can you explain why I was summonsed to my office this early after a holiday and why I don't know more about a situation that apparently went down over in France this past Saturday?"_

"_I will be in soon sir, I will explain everything" Kate responded._

"_Yes, you will and your people will be explaining why they aren't in the office at this time, and I will be expecting a full report in my office by noon, do you hear me detective?" Gates bellowed back. _

"_Yes, sir, I will be there" Kate respectfully answered back thinking this was not going to be easy to explain, she wasn't even confident she knew everything._

Kate started to swing back and forth feeling the air under her body, the air swirling around her, she could almost fly, when all of the sudden she felt a pair of very large hands grab her from behind and stop her, she looked around and there he was, the man who made her heart skip a beat, her soul mate and her equal in every way, her partner. He dragged her body down to a stopping position and she jumped off the swing leaving it to sway in the wind it had created. Her arms rose above his head and her heart lifted out of her chest as he spun her around and set her down giving her a long, slow kiss just like the day he proposed. When they were done she smiled and said,

"Trying to get out of marrying me, Mr. Castle?"

"Never! Kate Beckett" Castle responded hugging her again.

"Will you always come for me, Detective Beckett? He asked her back.

"Always! Mr. Castle" Kate retorted and they were then surrounded with Lanie, Esposito, Ryan, and Alexis. Everyone was hugging each other and Martha had joined them.

"Thank you my friends, I don't know how to repay you for this, it's amazing" She grabbed Castle and held him tight.

"Do you think you two could just get married like normal people maybe? " Espo responded, making everyone laugh.

"Definitely, Kate, what do you say about getting married next Saturday?" Castle questioned.

"Sounds great Mr. Castle, but where?" She responded with her own question.

"How about right here? I have the mayor on speed dial" Castle winked, he had solved the problem and everyone was delighted.


	14. Chapter 14

It was a beautiful day, the kind of day that has you hopeful for all things new and promising. It was Kate's day, finally, and she was going to revel in it! There were just a few more things she had to contend with, a very nervous Maid of Honor, future mother-in-law, and almost daughter. The limo had taken them to the park and the swings had been decorated with as many balloons and streamers as possible in cream, sea foam, and gray, the kind of setting that represented the glass jar that held the wonderful shells that she and Castle had picked up on the beach. There were rows and rows of white chairs and the guests were all notified by phone as to the fact that Castle was indeed alive and safe. The mayor had graciously not only allowed the friend he had to use the park but he blocked all of the city streets and alley ways to traffic: both vehicle and person. The people who lived in the many block radiuses were the only ones that were allowed in and out. He also was sure to announce it on regular T.V. that Mr. Castle was alive, but that this day from here on out was to be named "Castle" day in honor of his dear friend's return. Rick and Kate were touched, and although Kate was not as used to the attention it gave her, as she tried to finalize the arrangements, the well wishers and fans secured in her heart a permanent place as they were so sweet and appreciative of her saving him.

The city was on a complete high as the Mayor rode in and secured his spot in the front row. In the trailer that was set aside for the Bride's party the emotions were running high as the girls were all getting ready,

"Kate, I wanted to get this for you as something new" Lanie expounded, she looked gorgeous in her off one shoulder light sea foam dress, her hair swept up and cascading down in curls on one side.

"Lanie" Kate sucked in her breath, "it's lovely! I will treasure it forever!" She held the necklace up to the light and its light sea foam beads shown so brightly in the sun. It was the perfect length and look for the right touch on her mother's dress which had been dry cleaned and pressed after the horrible memories of yester times. Kate had no problem wearing the same dress because to her it symbolized the love that concurs all and the resilience of the spirit that lives in her now that her mother's murderer is behind bars and Castle was home safe. The beading had to be fixed as well and the shoes cleaned, but to Kate it meant triumph, it meant survival.

"I'm next" Alexis clasped her hands together, "This is for your something old" Alexis had taken Kate's Mom's ring and placed it in a beautiful Origami Owl bracelet and in the little container that held the ring she had a small gold gavel representing the justice that Kate had won for her Mom, and at that moment Kate knew that her Mom would be proud of her. A small tear slid down.

"I'm sorry Kate, I didn't want to make you cry" Alexis said with concern in her voice.

"No, sweetie, you have made me very happy, that is why I am crying, you, your grandmother and your Dad, are the BEST thing that has happened to me…and I am truly blessed" Kate smiled and Alexis smiled too, giving her a very big hug.

Martha moved up to Kate next, "Can I get in on this?" and they all three hugged with Lanie and Jennie in the background. Then Martha had something to bestow, "Kate, I am giving these back to you and reminding you of what I said to you that terrible time long ago, you are a wonderful woman for my Richard, a truly remarkable, kind, and stubborn, in a good way, daughter. Wear these with pride and remember that the biggest way to Richard's heart is being YOU!" Martha turned away to shield a small tear and Kate immediately picked up on it, so she clutched Martha close and said,"Never in a million years would I have thought that the first time I met you, while you were bailing your son out of jail, I would feel like I belong to him, this ruggedly handsome, totally outrageous, lack of censoring man, but he is who he is, who I see now, as the man you raised, thoughtful and kind. Thank you for raising him that way."

Next, a security person at the door and announced that it was time, time to become Mrs. Richard Castle, and Kate could hardly contain her joy.

Meanwhile, over in the groom's trailer the boys were trying to get Castle to calm down. He was a nervous wreck and for someone who had dealt with this many people before, waiting to watch him, but never to get married.

"Castle, come on man, you have been waiting for this for six years and now you are going to panic?" Esposito exclaimed trying to make him calm but only making things worse.

"Espo, hold on, I think I can help, hey Castle just try to think of them as all being in their underwear" Ryan said, trying to not crack up but still losing it. The sheer thought of everyone in underwear did nothing for Castle and he snorted out in frustration,

"Look guys, this is Kate we are talking about, and I am not sure why but I am just nervous about the whole thing happening and what if I can't do it again, I mean this is the third time, what if I can't be married or can't make her happy, or can't"

Just then Alexis came through the door with the biggest grin on her face. She was dressed very nicely in a dress that was top part tux and bottom part full length tux material. She had a modified cumber bun and her tux shirt was instead sea foam to match the other ladies. She looked stunning with her hair swept up and a few curls cascading down on both sides.

"Dad?" She grinned even further; Castle came over to give his daughter a hug.

"Alexis, help us, we have been trying to convince your father that he will be okay and that this time it's for good", Esposito begged.

"Its ok, fellas, he was never this nervous marrying Gina, and this is a good sign, Dad, please tell me they didn't do the whole visualize them in their underwear speech?"

"Ummmm, Yes, they did, but honey help me, how can I stop being so nervous" Castle asked.

" I have no words of wisdom Dad, this is life, you and Beckett, Kate, have lived more than any two people I know, just enjoy it, savor it, and pray I find it, that will help you to stay calm, by enjoying each other" She spoke naturally and with her heart, giving him a nurturing hug. He instantly calmed down.

"Wow, that is amazing Alexis, where did you learn all of that?" Ryan asked.

"This is Richard Castle guys, years of practice" She smiled and interjected, "Let's get this party started!"

As the music played, provided by a string quartet, the wedding march began and Rick looked up and saw first Jennie come down the aisle, she was pretty in her dress and Rick remarked at how marriage agreed with her, hoping it would agree with Kate. Next, Lanie came down the aisle and he caught how Esposito looked at her, and the first thing he thought was oh no, here comes the next wedding. He chuckled and smiled at Lanie and she gave him a "What are you laughing at writer-boy". Lastly, what he felt was the most beautiful angel he had ever seen, a vision of beauty in her gown; it suited her well, flowing beautifully on her small frame. Her hair swept up in curls and her makeup was perfectly done, she was smiling that smile that made all of his days shine, then she bit her bottom lip, like she always does, and he thought to himself how very lucky he was, and how much it humbled him. She was his everything.

Kate looked down at the man before her, how was it that he picked her, he was a world famous author, could have anyone he wanted, and from the time he walked into that interrogation room, she felt the floor go out from under her, those eyes, sure she thought he acted like a jackass, and he was totally NOT her type, but boy oh boy he became her everything, he was her point of reference. Sure, it was nice that their world sung a different note when they were together, but it was his touch that made magic in her mind, did things to her that she couldn't understand, and yet when the end of the day came it was the comfort he brought to her that meant the most. He was her everything.

They stood the two, side by side in front of the very swings they had resolved their differences from, sat and made decisions in, become engaged at, faced Bracken's reign of fear from, they were ready to face life together, with their friends by their side they defeated the odds, and came out of it better than they had been before, Mr. and Mrs. Castle.

_***Over by the trees he stood…waiting, smiling, glad that his son was marrying her, happy for them both, no blame, no anger, how could he, this was the life __he__ chose, it was not fair but it was what it was…because he was Jackson Hunt and being the CIA's top operative was his new job.***_

_**THANKS SO MUCH for reading. I am ready to move on and so hoped you liked it. Please comment below and let me know if you would like me to write again. Thanks.**_

_**COMPLETED! **_


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